


Ignorance and Silence

by Cuthwyn



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Bullying, Dick is clueless, Gen, Implied/Referenced Terrorism, Islamophobia, M/M, No one but no one messes their Babybat, Protective Jason, Racism, Racist Language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-05-24 23:32:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 36,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6171139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cuthwyn/pseuds/Cuthwyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Damian hates school. It's no secret, except one of the reasons why. Damian will take that reason to his grave, again.</p><p>A recent terrorist attack sets off his regular 'school friends'. Despite his attempts at not retaliating or provoking them, Damian lands himself in trouble for making death threats.</p><p>Dick is quick to believe the school's version of events.</p><p>Can Jason of all people gain Damian's trust enough for him to break his silence?</p><p>Did Damian really make the threats his peers claim that he did?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> 'Those who know do not speak,  
> Those who speak do not know.'  
> \- Lao Tzu -

It was a school day, and it was lunchtime. Damian's least favourite chore and time of the day, whilst dong said chore.  
He was sat beneath a tree, in the most secluded spot of the school's playing field, without resorting to the bike sheds.  
It was hot and sunny and Damian could think of exactly 115 other places he would rather be.  
Sighing the boy lifted his eyes to watch a couple of girls from the year above him walk past, before prodding at the pasta Alfred had made him for lunch. Very much enjoying his own company, he was, honest.

His family had given up on Damian eating the school meals provided. Firstly, the food was woefully lacking in any proper nutrition, and the chances of finding an agreeable meal that was vegetarian was like gold dust. He also despised having to sit on an uncomfortable, sticky, plastic chair to eat whatever disappointing meal he had managed to find.  
However, there was another reason why sometimes Damian would go hungry at lunchtime.  
Not that he'd ever admit it, not even under torture. He especially would not confess it to his family, they wouldn't understand and just blame him for being weak. He'd rather just pretend to Alfred that he had eaten and be done with it.

'Oy, Wayne!'  
Sighing Damian tried to shovel in as much of his lunch as he could. The reason why he sometimes 'got lost' on the way to the cafeteria had spotted him.  
'Ew, what's that you're eating? Someone give the boy a burger!'  
A blond haired boy, a couple of years older than Damian, appeared in front of him, Gary Peters.  
'Ha ha! Don't you remember G? He's vegetarian, all Muslins are. Right Wayne?'  
Lewis Hobbs, Peters' sidekick, the same year as Damian, stood next to his boss.  
Frowning Damian glanced down at the tofu on his fork before looking up at the boys through his eyelashes.  
'Muslin is a type of thin, coarse, cotton fabric. I assume you mean Muslim? I am afraid you are mistaken, Hobbs. People of the Islamic faith only exclude Pork from their diet. I however, find the practice of killing a living thing unable to defend itself abhorrent and dishonourable. Now, if you will excuse me?'

Getting up Damian placed his lunch calmly back into his rucksack and went to step around the pair of boys, only to find his path blocked.  
'Why don't you go home?'  
Blinking Damian frowned again and looked up at the clocktower on Gotham Academy's roof.  
'I am afraid it is the middle of the day, Peters. I cannot leave until 15:00.'  
It was only when he was shoved up against the trunk of the tree, that Damian realised exactly what his peers meant.  
'No, Wayne, I meant your real home. This ain't your home. We don't want the likes of you here.'  
Damian swallowed and pretended that the words didn't sting, that they didn't feed the insecurity that he was alone in the world, that he wasn't really wanted. That no one truly cared about him.  
'Yeah, go home, Paki!' Hobbs yelled, leaning in to leer at him.  
'Paki? Are you under the impression that I am Pakistani? I am afraid I have never visited the country.'  
'Bet your mum did!'  
Damian pursed his lips and pointedly unclenched his fists, taking deep breaths he tried to calm his anger.  
'Justice not vengeance. Justice not vengeance.'

Laughing darkly, Peters shoved a newspaper into Damian's chest, hard.  
'Justice? Yeah, I bet you think that don't you? You think what your people did is justice, do you?'  
Frowning at the fury in the boy's words, Damian looked down at the front page; at the headline. It was about the latest terrorist attack in Europe.  
The article was not surprising, apparently the reason there wasn't another three bombings was because the perpetrators ended up dead, thanks to a certain family mongrel. In his opinion, it was a shame Todd hadn't got to the final bomber in time. So yeah, in a way, Peters was right, he did see the actions of his 'people' as a form of justice.

'I had nothing to do with this. I do not even hold the Islamic faith? Why would I agree with their cause if I do not believe in Allah?'  
'Oh, so it's a cause now is it?' Hobbs jibed stepping forwards and jabbing him hard in the chest.  
The statement genuinely confused Damian and he frowned and looked back down at the newspaper.  
'I do not understand what you are implying? Of course they have a cause? Most people do, however misguided it may be.'  
He was slowly losing his patience with his peers. Why was he being blamed for something that happened in a completely different country, by an organisation he had no links with?  
League of Assassins sure, he'd get that one, but ISIS? He'd never met anyone linked to the group, that was Todd's current speciality.

'America should be for Americans, land of the free. We won't stand for people like you taking over our country anymore, Paki Wayne.'  
The boys laughed at Peters' new nickname for him. Hobbs chanting it as his partner in crime carried on with his tirade.  
'Your father must have been hella drunk to fuck your sand nigger of a mum. Where is she? You never talk about her? Is Mr Wayne ashamed? He should be, you should be! Now, I won't tell you again. Go. Home. And take your Shania law with you.'

'Sharia, it's the Sharia Law. Shania, is a female singer that my brother sings along to in the car.'  
Damian ground out through gritted teeth, pulling up mental pictures of his Father's, Grayson's and Pennyworth's disappointment if he reacted to what these boys were doing.  
Sure, what they said hurt him but that was not an excuse to retaliate and put them in the Emergency Room, as tempting as that maybe. He was better than them, he would not stoop to their level by attacking them verbally or physically. Ignorance really should be classed as a mental illness.  
A fist collided with Damian's jaw, barely knocking his head back. Wow, wow, no, he could not retaliate now. Not when he had been struck with such a poor technique, it would be dishonourable, like beating a toddler.

'Murderer. You are everything that is wrong with this country!'  
He couldn't actually argue that one.  
Damian pursed his lips and shoved his rucksack over his shoulder, before forcefully pushing past the boys.  
'Yeah, that's it runaway, Coward. All mouth until someone calls you out on your lies, Wayne, if that's even your real surname!'  
Closing his eyes tightly Damian ducked his head and reminded himself of his heritage, of his birthright. He was better then them, he knew better than them.  
No he wasn't just a Wayne, he had Al Ghul blood in his veins too and no matter what, he was proud of it. 

'Eindama akhtarrat alaibtiead lays eamal jabana, walakun min quati. Badalaan min 'iiha'lak kama  
faeslat balnsbt li, wa'ana 'aghfir laka, li'ank la tafham alkalimat alty tuqulu.'  
He muttered under his breath, calmly, before carrying on walking.

Sometimes, Damian switched between languages without realising, especially when angry or upset He didn't realise that he had spoken in Arabic until he heard the sound of two people running up behind him.  
'What the fuck did you just say to us?'  
'He's threatening us in his raghead language!'  
Maybe speaking in Arabic immediately after being accused of being a terrorist wasn't his brightest moment.

The same words repeated in Damian's head like a mantra as the boys charged him.  
Justice not vengeance, justice not vengeance. Aleadalat la alaintiqam, aleadalat la alaintiqam.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is mainly just background for Dick and Jason. Mainly why Dick is so tired and upset in the next chapter.
> 
> Also for some reason my paragraphs are joined up randomly again?  
> This happened in one of my other stories and I can't seem to fix it :/  
> So apologies for where this has happened. I am trying to work out how to fix it.

Dick blinked open beyond exhausted eyes as he waited in the queue at customs. It had been the longest flight of his life, his darling little brother, Jason, had spent the longest time humanly possible in the bathroom. So long, Dick actually considered getting up and going to check that the royal pain the ass hadn't found some way to escape via an airplane toilet.

Jason had then wandered off on landing. Only begrudgingly moving to stand by his brother when Dick threatened him with handcuffs and a detour to Arkham.  
Thankfully, he was now stood by his side waiting to go through customs, the smile on his face though was more than a little unnerving.  
Just as they were reaching the front of the queue Jason randomly held Dick's hand. Frowning up at his younger brother, he merely rolled his eyes as his stupid grin grew.  
'What? You said, you had to look after me. This is very serious.' Jason replied with a childish pout.

He wasn't referring to customs, oh dear God if only he was. No, oh no. His brother, who he had to keep reminding himself he loved dearly, had left three dead terrorists belonging to ISIS behind in Europe. Dick had had to fly out, pluck the asshole out from under the rock he'd been hiding and frog march him back to the States.

Making a conservative effort to keep playing the care free traveller, Dick stuck his finger under the fingerprint scanner and - oh fucking Holy Mary Mother of God, he'd forgotten about Jason!  
Jason, and his little issue of being legally dead.  
Jason, whose fingerprints were linked only to that of the Red Hood.  
'Welcome back to the USA, Mr Grayson.'  
Smiling Dick nodded sedately and moved away.  
Impressed that although his heart was racing like the clappers and he was totally losing his mind, he still maintained his calm persona as his brother stepped up to place his finger in the scanner.  
'Welcome back to the USA, Mr erm Grayson?'  
Frowning the customs officer looked from Jason to Dick and then back to Jason again with a sly smile.  
'Congratulations, Sir. You have struck lucky with that one.'  
'Indeed I have.'  
Jason grinned with a wink, practically skipping over to a flabbergasted Dick and throwing his arms around him, lips pressing against his cheek.

'What the hell are you playing at?' Dick spat through a forced smile, walking the pair of them towards Baggage, he needed to get out of this airport five minutes ago.  
'No, don't walk away. Hold me, like you did during our night of unbridled passion!' Jason declared loudly as his brother dragged him through to Baggage, looking very much like they were in some weird three legged race.  
So much for not drawing attention to themselves.  
'Stop it. You're making a spectacle of yourself. Please, please can you just pretend to be a sane, rational minded human being until we get home?'  
'Pretend?' Jason blinked down at him innocently and Dick had had enough.  
Seriously? Wasn't he just as physically and mentally exhausted as he was?  
'Oh yes, you're the epitome of sanity, Jay, sorry, I forgot.'  
Pulling away from his brother's arms he stormed off towards the exit, being ever thankful that he didn't have to wait to collect luggage. He hadn't brought any and Jason had not been given either the time ,nor opportunity, to collect his belongings other than bare essentials, before being put on a plane.

The automatic doors of the airport's exit shone before Dick like the gates of heaven. Only a few more feet and they would be on the home run; his little brother would finally be safe.  
'I'm a wanted man, I got blood on my hands. Do you understand? I'm a wanted man.'  
Closing his eyes, Dick took a deep breath and counted to ten, before turning to watch his brother dancing whilst listening to music on his phone, singing as loudly as possible.  
Apparently Jason had little to no idea exactly how much danger he was in, or maybe he did, but didn't care? The latter though disturbed Dick greatly, so he chose to ignore it.  
'I took the pistol and I shot out all the lights, do do, do do, Started running in the middle of the night.'  
Pouting when the headphones were ripped from his ears, Jason looked down at his fuming older brother.  
'I'm a wanted man? Really? Of all the songs you could listen to?'  
'Aw Dickie. Are you okay? You look tired.'  
Gritting his teeth Dick, pushed his brother through the automatic doors and pointed at the parking lot.

'Jason Peter Todd, I have not slept since flying out to go get your sorry ass. You are getting in the car. We are going to the manor. I am then going to go to sleep, you are going to go to sleep. I don't care if I have to drug you, tie you to the bed and put Titus as a guard dog outside your damn room, you are staying there. Now get in the car.'

Before Jason could open his mouth to retaliate Dick's phone began to ring, causing both men to look down at the jacket pocket it was in, in confusion. Who could that be?  
Throwing a final warning look at his brother, Dick answered the phone without looking at the caller.  
'What?'  
Jason watched Dick's face pale as he began to walk off towards the parking lot.  
'Oh, my apologies. No, no this is not a bad time at all. What's the issue?'  
Now, he was tempted to push Dick further and stay by the entrance, but the phone call had spiked his interest. His brother had slipped fully into his 'Mr Grayson' persona, this call was important for some reason.  
Trotting behind him Jason tried to eaves drop as they approached Dick's car.  
'Suspended? Yes, yes Mr Wayne is otherwise engaged at present, could Mr Drake-Wayne - in a meeting, of course. No, no that's not a problem. I shall come immediately.'

Hanging up, Dick leant his forehead against his car and counted slowly to ten (again), before unlocking it.  
'Get in.' He barked his order at Jason without even bothering to look up at him.  
Rounding the car to the driver's side, he looked up when he didn't hear footsteps, to find that Jason smoking, whilst cocking an eyebrow at him.  
'Put that out. Where did you even get it from?'  
'Duty free. Who was that?'  
'What do mean Duty free? There was no where open when we - no, never mind. I don't care. Get in the car.'  
'Who was on the phone?'  
Taking a deep breath Dick smiled. Not his happy, lovable smile, oh no. It was the sort of smile he gave someone he was about to beat within an inch of their lives.  
'Jason, get in the damn car.' He spat through gritted teeth, knuckles turning white around his car keys. 'I am too tired to put up with you acting like a tool. I need to go fetch Damian from school. So in the best interests of your health, I suggest you put that out and get in, before I make you.'

Dick had started the car and begun driving before Jason had even shut the car door. Swallowing Jason leant against the head rest of the front passenger seat, drumming his fingers against his knees, he waited.  
The mother of all telling offs was due. His brother hadn't breathed a word about what had happened with ISIS for the entire journey. He hadn't said anything when he appeared in his safehouse, he's just thrown a pair of pants at him and told him to 'move it'. The twat hadn't even given him a chance to grab anything except his passport, all his gear was still in Europe. Did Dickatron know how much those hoods cost to make, in both money and time?  
Anyway, back to the point, Dick was yet to yell at him but Jason had seen it brewing beneath the surface for hours now. His brother's silence was growing more than a little tiresome.

'I get that you have some sort of kink for being on wanted lists Jason, okay? I accept that, but why? Why out of all the wanted lists you could possibly be on, did you have to choose to rile God damn ISIS? ISIS, what on earth is wrong with you Jason?'  
And there it was.  
Shrugging, Jason smirked and looked out the window at Gotham's streets speeding by.  
'I dunno Dickie? What is wrong with me? The ultimate question even Akrham couldn't figure out. I'm just a special kind or special I guess. Also, I'm not just ISIS's favourite person, all of Europe and America want me too. Timmy ain't the only one who can hack government systems.'

'Jay, please I am trying to have a serious conversation with you.  
Do you understand the severity of the situation at all? You are now number one on ISIS's hit list. They want to kill you, do you understand the consequences of what you have done? Jason, you should have just fucking called me!'  
Slamming his hand down on the steering wheel, Dick purposely made an effort not to press the accelerator to the floor. His heart ached, his head hurt and he was so tired he could barely concentrate on the road, never mind trying to persuade Jason to some sort of logical train of thought.  
'I mean look at yourself. When was the last time you washed, slept, ate something? Little Wing, you could have died, if we don't play our cards right you still might.'

Jason just shrugged and threw him a look which screamed 'no shit Sherlock'.  
'Why are you so bothered? I killed three terrorists, boo hoo, guess what Goldie? I only wish I had gotten to the fourth. Someone had to stop them. That someone was me!'  
'But why? Why Jason? Why is it always you? You know the rules, we don't get involved between countries. Jesus, Jason why do you think it's your right to be not only the judge and jury but the damn executioner as well?'  
'Maybe because I know what heavens like? Ever thought about that? Maybe that's why I'm fucked up' 

That wasn't meant to come out. Inhaling sharply, Jason decided that he might as well finish what he started. He nodded towards the prayer beads around Dick's rear view mirror, his brothers only real link to his parents.  
'You of all people should know that if you go back through those pearly gates, you don't get a hand stamp for re- entry. So yeah, I put my life on the line and I may have shot a few guys but guess what? I saved hundreds of other lives doing it. ISIS won't hurt anyone else for a long time now because they are hell bent on finding me. If I end up dead so what? I'm gonna go to hell anyway, so I might as well take some of these fuckers with me.'

Rubbing slyly at the not tears burning his eyes, Jason snuck a look at his brother and froze for a moment.  
'Dickie? Dickie are you - why are you crying?'  
Shaking his head, Dick swallowed thickly and tried to focus his vision enough to not crash the car into Gotham Academy's gates as he drove through. Parking up in silence he ran a shaking hand down his face to compose himself, before pointing at Jason without looking at him. He couldn't look at him right now and not shatter into a million pieces.  
'You, you stay here. We'll carry on this conversation at home. I won't be long. I find you anywhere but in that seat? You will regret it.'


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally finished this chapter! The end of the academic year and clinical placements make writing fics hard :/
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and lovely comments! I was iffy as to how well received this particular fic would be.
> 
> Soooo whose ready to find out what Damian said to his bullies?

Gotham Academy hadn't changed since the days when he had graced it's halls. The same polished marble floor and mahogany doors, the same soft shuffling which always reminded Dick of being in a stuffy library. Silence was mandatory and don't even think about cartwheeling in the halls. In truth Dick could empathise with Damian's dislike of the place, it didn't exactly fill him with fond memories as he waited by reception.  
The stuffy silence was interrupted by the steady thump, thump of heavy boots.  
Closing his eyes Dick sighed and shook his head. Please, please could he just leave him be?  
He couldn't deal with this right now. He needed to be professional to collect Damian.  
'I thought I told you to stay in the car? What language would you like me to use to get through to you?'  
'Can't leave dogs in the car on hot days, Dickie.'  
Jason smirked, hands shoved in his jacket pocket as he studied his surroundings in melancholy interest. Apparently Jason didn't have fond memories of this place either.  
'I parked in the shade and left the window open a crack.' Dick spat under his breath as he spotted the small, plump receptionist.

'Mr Grayson? Thank you for coming. If you'll follow me, the principal is waiting for you.'  
Smiling Dick inclined his head and gave her a questioning look.  
'May I ask why Damian is in trouble this time?'  
The receptionist's lips thinned as she motioned for him to follow her up the staircase.  
'He has made death threats to his fellow peers. The boys he attacked are quite shaken up, I had to offer then camomile tea to calm down.'  
'Tea? Woah, that must have been some death threat. Was it a good one?'  
Frowning the woman peered over at the tall, dark haired stranger following them. Her disapproval of his state of dress quite apparent.  
'Can I help you, Sir? If you would like directions to the inner city-'  
'It's okay. He's with me. A family friend.' Dick interrupted trying hard not to cry when he finally threw a look in Jason's direction.  
'Mr Harper. Pleased to meet you.' Jason held out his hand with a charming smile but the receptionist didn't take it. In fact, the look she threw at his hand you could almost match with disgust. It made Jason's blood boil, this place really had not changed.  
'Indeed. If you'll follow me, Mr Grayson.'  
If Jason wasn't mistaken Dick looked like he wanted to punch the snobby woman for snubbing him. Frowning at this Jason sauntered behind him, eyes traveling along the halls he'd graced so many years ago. He didn't know why Dickiebird was so offended? It's not as if his brother was overly bothered back in the day? He distinctly remembered Dick accompanying Bruce on a meeting like this one and telling him that it didn't matter what the other boys had said to him it didn't give him the right to break their nose.

Damian was sat alone on a chair outside the principles office apparently finding the floor fascinating.  
His uniform was torn and Alfred was going to go bananas over the bloodstains on his white shirt. His face was a spectacular colour of blue and purple, a gash that looked like it needed stitches on his forehead and he had a split lip which the boy licked at from time to time. He had obviously not been given a tissue to mop the blood that flowed from his nose, forcing him to use the sleeve of his jacket, thankfully it was black.  
'Damian, your brother is here.'  
The receptionist announced not even looking at the injured boy before disappearing into the principal's office probably to inform her of their arrival.  
'Damian? What have you done?'  
Glancing up at his brother, Damian shook his head and went back to counting the scuffs on his shoes. Sighing wearily, Dick crouched down and tried to catch his eye but it proved unsuccessful.  
'Dami? Please, tell me what happened. I can't help you, if you don't help me. What did you do?'  
'Woah, look at you, Brat. I'd hate to see what the other guy looks like.'  
Jason grinned walking up to stand by Dick. 

 

There was something about the look in his little brother's eyes that disturbed Jason, frowning he looked down at the boy's hands. His fingers were torn and bloody but his knuckles? His knuckles were intact, no grazes or bruising he would have sustained from fighting. Eyes darkening he watched Damian's gaze slide to the two boys sat with their parents at the end of the hall before going back to Dick.  
They must be the boys he threatened to kill, the bruising he expected on Damian's knuckles were on theirs but other than crumpled uniform they seemed otherwise unharmed.  
This stunk, this stunk to high heaven.

'What is 'it' doing here?' Damian sneered, using anger as a mask for his hurt and Jason had to fight the urge to face palm. Really kid? He had that one down to a fine art before the Brat was even conceived.  
'I'm babysitting.' Dick replied with a forced smile.  
'Hmm, I suppose it is abuse to leave dogs in hot cars.'  
'See Duckie? Told ya so!'  
Rising back to his feet Dick rounded on Jason and gave him a cold, hard look.  
'You are going to be as quiet as possible and let me handle this. Am I making myself quite clear?'  
'Dick, please, I'm sorry okay? For what I said in the car I didn't mean to. Please Dickie listen to me, Damian is-'  
'I'm handling it.' Dick whispered harshly just as the principal's office door creaked open.  
'Mrs Peters, Mr Hobbs, Mr Grayson and Mr erm Harper, please come in.'  
Principle Andrews, Jason remembered her, she hadn't aged well. Once, thick, chestnut brown hair was now greying in her signature bun. Judging by the look he was being given the recognised him too, now, this could be interesting.  
Jason stepped back and let the other boys and their parents go first, watching how Damian shrunk away and avoided eye contact. Pursing his lips he watched Dick shoot their brother an authoritative look and motion for him to follow him inside. Yeah, no, Dickie was not handling this at all.  
Sighing Jason trudged in after them, it looked like he was Damian's only hope, poor kid.

The office reminded him of Bruce's study, dark, formal and awfully overbearing with far too much leather and mahogany for one room. Sitting in the chair next to Dick Jason's eyes travelled to the wall behind them.  
Oh. Dear. God.  
Photographs of students who had died whilst attending the school adorned the wall. There were quite a few but this was Gotham. There slap bang in the middle was his final school photograph.  
Grinning he shot a look at Dick who just held his hand tightly.  
'Don't you dare.' He muttered into his brother's ear.  
Sitting down Principle Andrews smiled a greeting, her eyes going to Jason's photograph before looking back at Jason again before shaking her head. Oh this was golden.  
The principle began her introductions and the parents of the other boys began their victimised laments about what Damian had done. Therapy? Really? The kid had given them a death threat, talk about blowing things out of proportion.

The whining started to grate and Jason left his seat, fiddling with the fixtures and fittings of the room as he listened. Waiting for the part where they got to what had happened for Damian to threaten to kill them. It didn't come. Instead all he picked up on were worrying terms like 'people like him', 'his sort'. They brought back memories of when he had been ostracised for not only being a Wayne but a commoner, a street kid at that. Damian wasn't common by any stretch of the imagination, Talia had, oh.  
Oh!  
Eyes widening Jason turned to study the two boys who were glaring at his little brother with far too much venom to be traumatised.

'As I am sure you can understand Mr Grayson, behaviour like this will not be tolerated. I have no choice but to suspend Damian until the end of term. He may return after the summer.'  
The principal informed Dick who pursed his lips in response.  
Jason watched with interest.  
Come on Dickiebird, work it out.  
'Of course. I cannot apologise enough for my brother's behaviour-'  
'Erm no, no hang on!'  
Turning Dick looked in horror at Jason who was stood by his school photograph, with an identical scowl. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Principal Andrews staring. This wasn't good.  
'Sit down, right now.' Dick spat under his breath through gritted teeth, before turning back around with a smile. 'My apologies, Principle. My friend and I have had a long journey this morning. I can assure you Damian is very sorry aren't you?'  
The boy just sniffed and wiped at his bloody nose, eyes fixed on the floor still.  
'No.' Jason walked back over towards Dick but carried on past him, stopping at the principle's desk and taking the box of tissues.  
'Do you mind, Mr Harper!'  
'No, not really, Principal Andrews.' Jason grinned before turning and kneeling down in front of Damian, handing him the box. ' I find it unacceptable that a child was left outside the principal's office without receiving medical attention. That gash on his head needs stitching and he wasn't even given a tissue to staunch the blood from his nose.'  
Jason offered his little brother a half smile when Damian threw him a quizzical look and accepted the box of tissues.  
'Yet the boys who received the apparent death threat, received tea?'

'It was a death threat. That child is a menace.' Mrs Peters protested, clutching her son's hand tightly she looked up at the principal for support.  
Jason smiled and slid his eyes across to look at her.  
'A death threat huh?'  
Damian shouted in protest as Jason suddenly grabbed hold of his hands and studied them intently.  
'Odd. Both of his peers are without injury and the damage I expected to see on Damian's knuckles are on theirs? Damian is the one who has been beaten to a pulp?'  
'They were defending themselves.' Mr Hobbs countered, narrowing his eyes at Jason. 'I doubt you would understand. This is not like Gotham High.'  
'Oh believe me, Mr Hobbs, I am well aware of the 'behaviour' this establishment encourages.' Jason sneered before looking back up at the principal cold and hard.  
'What did Damian say? What was the death threat exactly?'  
The woman swallowed before looking down at the incident papers, avoiding Dick's quizzical gaze who, for some reason that escaped Jason entirely, had not worked it out yet.  
'I am afraid, Mr Harper, that we were unable to find that information out. Damian has been uncooperative with this matter. The boys have claimed that he spoke in, Arabic.'  
'I shall ignore the tone in which you said that. Let's be straight yeah? Damian is bilingual. Surely, that is more than an esteemed trait? Don't they say that you ain't fully understood one language until you have at least mastered your second?'  
'Maybe you should master God's English?' Mrs Peters muttered, glaring daggers at Jason.  
Choosing to ignore the jibe, it's not like he hadn't heard that one ten million times, Jason turned to Damian who now just looked completely bewildered.  
'What did you say?'

The boy scowled and shook his head, ducking his chin into his chest he wiped at his nose with the tissue he'd been given. There was no point. His father and Drake were the only ones in the Wayne Household who spoke Arabic.  
''Akhi min fdlik? Daeni asaedk? (My brother? Let me help you?)'  
Damian managed to swallow as gasp of surprise when he heard his brother's voice speaking his mother's language.  
'Hal hula' al'awlad yasubb ealik? (Did these boys hurt you?)'  
Todd looked like he was about to put a bullet in someone. Damian swallowed again and looked up at Grayson, the principle, his peers and their parents.  
He could say whatever he liked to Todd, only he could understand what he said.  
'Nem fielaan.(Yes.)'  
Damian's voice was barely above a whisper, uncomfortable speaking Arabic with an audience but it was nothing to the floaty feeling of finally admitting it. He wanted to grab hold of Todd's jacket, scream at him as loud as he could that it wasn't the first time.  
Instead, he kept control of his emotions and lifted his eyes to meet his brother's.  
Smiling Jason took his hand, squeezing it gently. He had him, he could tell by the way the boy was reading his features, desperate to trust.

'What's going on? Dami, are you okay?' Dick asked, eyes darting between the pair questioningly.  
Sighing Jason kept hold of Damian's eye contact and flipped his older brother off.  
'Trust me Dickie, I know about distressed kids and you Dude? You ain't helping.'  
'You are not helping.' Damian corrected pointedly only for Jason to cock an eyebrow at him.  
'Don't you start, Short Stuff.' Jason's smile grew when his little brother smirked and lifted his head fully out of his chest, shoulders relaxing.  
'Come on, Little D. What did you say to 'em?'  
Damian pursed his lips before sneaking a look at Hobbs and Peters who were now full on glaring at him. Just daring him to say what he had said. The idiots had no idea.

'Eindama akhtarrat alaibtiead lays eamal jabana, walakun min quati. Badalaan min 'iiha'lak kama  
faeslat balnsbt li, wa'ana 'aghfir laka, li'ank la tafham alkalimat alty tuqulu.'

Jason quirked an eyebrow and Damian frowned, wondering if he had spoken too fast, if he hadn't been understood.  
'You- you're shitting me? They did this to you and you said, that? Are you on drugs?'  
The room gave an audible sharp inhale as Jason shook his head at Damian in wonder.  
Little Wing?' Dick muttered, brow furrowing at Jason's response. Whatever had been said it was not what his brother had been expecting.  
'La. Qabl. Wamae dhallik, fa'inn baqiat kalimati nafsih. No. Before. However, my words would have remained the same.' Damian replied, for the first time since he began speaking, his words were loud, clear and certain. Despite what had been done to him, despite how tempting it was to lash out, he stood by his decision to not retaliate.  
Jason ran a hand down his face with a groan and shook his head.  
'Yup, that proves it. Dickie, Dami is on drugs!'  
'Mr Harper! Please, would you be so kind as to tell us exactly what Damian told you he said?'  
Principle Andrews interrupted, eyebrows disappearing into her bun.  
Nodding Jason composed himself and turned to face her with a victorious smile.  
'No problem, he told the shit stains who wailed on him. When I choose to walk away it is not an act of cowardice, but of strength. Instead of hurting you as you have done to me, I forgive you, for you do not understand the words that you say.'  
Dick reached out and grasped Damian's hand with teary eyes only for his little brother to pull away, not even looking in his direction.

'How do we know that's what he said? We only have this man's word? He hardly seems amiable.' Peters spoke up, cheered on by his mother who nodded enthusiastically.  
'No. No I know Mr Harper here, very well. He can not lie to me, he tries, oh believe me he tries, but I always know.'  
inhaling deeply, Dick wiped at the tears threatening to spill onto his cheeks and he closed his eyes tightly. 'Mr Harper, gave an honest interpretation.'  
'I see.' Principal Andrews pursed her lips and glanced over at the other two boys who could not look anymore guilty if they tried.  
'I see? Is that all you have to say? How about why did a twelve year old boy feel the need to say something like that?' Jason spat before turning to narrow his eyes at the pair of boys who shrunk back into their chairs.  
'What. Did. You. Do?'  
'We called him a Muslin.' Hobbs squeaked, terrified that this strange man was actually going to kill him, he seemed the type.  
'A Muslin is a price of cloth. You mean Muslim. Jesus what does this school teach you kids? Although I struggle to see why you'd call him that? Damian quite clearly is not. In fact the only thing that kid believes in is all things small and furry.'  
His little brother openly rolled his eyes at that statement before going back to studying his shoes.  
'What else?'  
There was a silence. Both boys looking up at their parents for help but they seemed to have forgotten how to speak and just blinked up at the rather unhinged, intelligent young man.  
Clearing her throat Principle Andrews turned to address Dick.  
'Mr Grayson. I understand this revelation puts things into a different light but I cannot-'

'waqad alhal lishuhur. (It has been going on for months.)  
'Innaha 'iihanatan tarathi. (They insult my heritage.)  
'Innahum yasriqun malabisi baed alssabahati. Waquad wadaeat alllahm fi taeami. Laysat hadhih hi almarrat al'uwlaa alty tamm daribi. (They steal my clothes after swimming. Meat has been put in my food. This is not the first time I've been beaten.)'  
Damian wasn't sure exactly how or why the words were tumbling out of his mouth. No comprehension as to why he focused entirely on Todd, wanting him to understand and he sure as Hell could not explain his relief when he saw the comprehension in his eyes.  
Yaqulun 'ashy a' la tusaf ean walidati. (They say unspeakable things about my mother.)'  
Damian finished his confession quietly. No one had to be able to speak Arabic to hear the raw pain in the boy's voice when he spoke the last statement.  
Crouching down again Jason took hold of his brother's hand, mildly surprised when he wasn't immediately spurned.  
'I have brought shame to the family. I have been weak and foolish. I should not have hidden, I should have fought back.' His little brother slipped back into speaking English until he caught the horrified look on Dick's face. Hanging his head in shame it was obvious he was fighting tears, even if he was trying his hardest to appear otherwise.  
''Aradtt faqat 'an takun jaydatan, mithl al'ab. I just wanted to be good, like father.'  
'Alttayir Alssahir. Little Bird.' Jason uttered quietly in both languages, tears brimming in his eyes.

Dick inhaled sharply and gripped Jason's shoulder, hoping to ground him.  
It was well known within the Batfamily that Jason crying was not a good thing. The young man had a good handle on his emotions, especially of late, all except one, anger.  
The broken Robin only ever cried when he was angry, very angry.  
Wiping absently at his eyes, Jason reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his phone.  
'Deep breathes.' Dick tried to soothe but he was just shaken off roughly.  
'No'  
Shaking his head Jason released Damian's hand and stood to brandish the phone at the principal.  
'I think we should contact Mr Wayne about this.'  
'Mr Harper I am already aware that Mr Wayne in unavailable this afternoon.'  
Principle Andrews interrupted, eyes travelling to the picture of a young Todd on her wall.  
'Oh I don't mean the big man. He's just about as useless as Goldie over there.Oh no, I mean Mr Drake-Wayne. Damian's brother? The one who is currently holding a press conference? I wonder what he will think about this school turning a blind eye to racism? My money's on him not being too happy and let's face it he ain't exactly Mr Happy at the best of times.'  
'Now, now Mr H-Harper, I am sure we can solve this-'  
'No. No I am solving this.' Jason spat wrapping his hand tightly around Damian's he hoisted him up to his feet. 'You are correct. My brother is not coming back to your school this term. I refuse to send him somewhere where the adults in charge of his care cannot keep him safe. He needs to be safe. I suggest you make sure those safeguards are in place before September else I'm afraid the Wayne family shall be taking both Damian's schooling and any beneficiaries elsewhere. Both Mr Wayne and Mr Drake shall be made aware of the outcome of today's meeting. Damian say goodbye, we are leaving.'  
'Wadaeaan.' Damian muttered with a slight smirk, lifting a hand in farewell as he was pulled out of the room by his rather angry, insane big brother who at the moment seemed pretty alright after all.  
Who knew having the Red Hood fighting your corner would feel so damn good?  
Dick was still sat in his chair. Eyes wide and unblinking he looked like he had taken a hit off Mr Freeze.  
'You coming Goldie? Or do you agree with these ignorant idiots?'  
Jason hollered from the corridor, apparently still hopping mad.

Dick blinked a couple of times before rising to his feet with a stiff nod.  
'Mr Harper is right. I apologise for his conduct but I stand by what he says and we shall be leaving with my brother now. Thank you for your time.'  
'Brother?' Principal Andrews questioned, eyes focused on the empty spot where Jason and Damian had been.  
'Yes? Damian is my brother?' Dick replied frowning in confusion at the confused looks he was getting off the rest of the room, the look Principal Andrews shot him sent chills down his spine.  
'Mr Harper said Damian was his brother?'  
'Did he?' Dick genuinely asked before the realisation hit him. Holy Mary Jason had said that. How angry wasJason to slip up so blatantly? He had never slipped up, not even when he was in Arkham. Laughing nervously Dick shrugged and shot his old principal a charming smile.  
'What can I say? Jet lag, it really messes with your mind. Anyway, good day Principal,  
Mrs Peters, Mr Hobbs. I shall have Mr Wayne call to follow up this meeting tomorrow morning.'  
'Which one?' The three adults asked in chorus and Dick only smirked.  
'Oh trust me, you had all better hope it is Mr Bruce Wayne.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on tumblr, where I post shorter fics and head cannons.  
> I'm the same name, Cuthwyn


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Dick and Jason don't see eye to eye. Nothing new there.

No sooner had Jason's boot hit the front step, Dick had bundled him inside and upstairs towards his old room. He'd tried to protest, tried to point out the situation regarding Damian's schooling but his pain in the ass brother was having none of it and so now here he was, tucked up in bed one dose of Zopiclone later. Dick really hadn't been joking when he said he'd drug his ass.  
Rolling onto his side, Jason sighed heavily and snuggled further into his pillow, like hell he'd ever tell Dick but the sleep aid wasn't exactly unwelcome, he couldn't remember the last decent kip he'd had.  
Slowly his mind grew cloudy and the racing thoughts began to slow and disconnect, limbs growing heavy. Closing his eyes, Jason smiled gratefully and waited to be dragged down into a dreamless oblivion, well, he hoped it would be dreamless.

A clicking sound caught his wavering attention.  
His door was being unlocked. Dick hadn't been joking about locking him up either.  
Frowning, Jason fought his way out of his heavy cloudiness and turned to look over just as the door opened, expecting Alfred with a cup of tea or Dick come to yell at him again. He hoped it would be Alfred, he was too tired for another fight.  
Instead of the kindly old butler or the angry big brother, a small dark haired boy slipped inside, locking the door behind him again.  
'I hoped that the medication Pennyworth gave you had not taken effect yet.' Damian muttered. Standing awkwardly by the door he looked up at his brother blankly. 'I wished to thank you before you went to sleep.'  
Nodding clumsily, Jason blinked open reluctant eyes. Damian had clearly had had the Alfred treatment too. The boy was washed and dressed in a pair of pyjamas, his injuries had been cleaned and tended to.  
'H-how did you get the key?'  
Really? That was all Jason could say in response to that? Screwing up his face in frustration, he expected Damian to look offended that his appreciation had not been acknowledged.  
Instead an impish grin spread across his face and his little brother brandished said key proudly.  
'I relieved Pennyworth of it when he was aiding me earlier.'  
Chuckling, Jason shook his head and smiled groggily.  
'Damn Brat.'   
Pushing himself to sit up slightly, he appraised the boy once more. 'I'm glad your okay.'  
Clearly feeling more comfortable, Damian stepped further into the room, chin raised slightly in defiance.

'You did not inform me that you spoke Arabic, Todd.'  
Jason blinked for a few moments before shrugging and settling back against the pillows, too groggy to keep his head up for too long.  
'Not the only one who lived with the League of Assassins, Brat. I had to ask the ninjas for a cup of tea eventually.'  
Damian nodded at this, his brow furrowed slightly in thought. Jason was too tired to even try and play dodge around the emotional constipation, so he just snuggled back down under his covers.  
'Grayson has contacted Drake. He shall be arriving tomorrow to discuss the situation.'  
Nodding, Jason grunted and rolled back onto his back to try and force himself to engage in conversation again. 'Hmph, well, that's er good? Tim will sort it. If there's one thing that moron can do? It's sort things out.'  
There was another long pause and the sound of bare feet trotting closer to his bedside.  
'I do not wish to go back there. Todd?'  
A little voice spoke so quietly Jason almost didn't hear it in his hazy state but he heard it. He also heard the unspoken plea. 'Please Todd, help me.'  
Sighing, Jason peeped open an eye to see Damian stood by his bed. For once looking his age, hands rolling the hem of his pyjama top nervously, blue eyes wet and sad.  
'Hey, hey brat, don't cry. I won't let 'em send you back.'

He was 99% sure that his invitation would be spurned but he pulled back his covers slightly anyway. Damian watched the action apprehensively before shaking his head and looking away.  
'Father will not allow me to attend Gotham High and neither do I wish to go there. There is no where else feasible, Todd. I have already researched this in detail.'  
Jason thought about this for a moment, his brow furrowing before he shrugged his mouth and opened both eyes to look at his brother.  
'Then you won't. Nothing wrong with homeschooling. I'll sort it.'  
Damian didn't really understand how his brother would manage that, it was as clear as day on his face. Jason raised an eyebrow slightly when the mattress dipped and his little brother pulled the covers over himself, lying back to gaze at the ceiling.  
'How?'  
Letting out a yawn, Jason shrugged and rolled over to look at Damian properly.  
'Just trust me okay?'  
Snorting, Damian chuckled and smiled slightly, his own eyes beginning to droop.  
'Trust the family mongrel? The idiot who angered ISIS? My mentally insufficient brother whose self destructive actions have yet again ended up with him locked up and drugged to the eyeballs? Excuse my inability to take that one seriously Todd. I would not trust you to organise a riot at Arkham!'  
'Heh. 'Least I'm not IN Arkham this time, Brat.'  
'Well, we all know how that one ends.'

Chuckling himself Jason snorted, watching Damian worry his lip, eyes roaming the ceiling as if following something only he could see.  
'Father will be displeased when he finds out about what happened.'  
Letting out yet another sigh, Jason closed his eyes and reached out to punch his brother's shoulder lightly.  
'Nah, the Old Man will be pissed at those scum who beat on you, not you, Brat. Y'think B don't know what it's like? You ain't the first to have the shit kicked outta him for being who he is? It's happened to me, Tim, Dick even the big man himself.'  
Frowning Damian turned to look at Jason, eyes searching his face, as if looking for signs of dishonesty.  
'Father had to deal with uneducated ingrates?'  
Nodding, Jason ran a hand down his face and joined his brother with looking at the ceiling.  
'He had it worse than all of us put together. It's why Alfred first taught him to fight, so he could defend himself. Then he just got into trouble for fighting, heh. B can seem like an impregnable fortress of unfeeling justice but Dami? He knows pain. He loves you and will walk through hell and back to protect to you.' Running another hand down his face Jason tried to stop himself from crying but he felt the tears roll down his cheeks regardless. 'He just sucks ass at showing it.'

A wretched, strangled sob left his lips and Jason suddenly remembered why he hated fucking hypnotics. Sure they sent him to sleep but they made him fucking weepy too.  
Small fingers brushed the corner of the covers against his cheek and Jason tried to turn away but another hand stopped him.  
'Fucking meds.' He grumbled trying hard to stop sobbing like a baby but it was no use and the fingers wiping the tears away as fast as they came wasn't helping.  
'Father loves you too.' Damian mumbled, scooting just a little closer. 'The others may say otherwise but I agree with what you did. Those men deserved to die. I only wish you had made it to the fourth in time. You still saved lives in Europe, Todd. Do not forget that.'  
Sucking in his bottom lip, Jason turned to look at his little brother, shaking his head when he reached to try and wipe the tears away again.

'Fucking pain in the ass Demonbrat.'  
Damian frowned before looking over at the empty meds pot on the bedside table next to the glass of water and smiling.  
'Dumb Bedlamite.'   
Rolling back over he closed his eyes with a heavy sigh. 'Go to sleep, Todd. I refuse to converse with you whilst you're no longer in possession of one's faculties.'  
Giving his brother a tearful salute, Jason rolled over and finally closed his eyes.  
Damn stupid, fucking, meds.

Jason was awoken by the sound of the door unlocking again. Blinking away sleep, Jason frowned at the sunlight peeping through his curtains before turning over to look at the empty space next to him. Damian was gone.  
'Ah, good morning Master Jason. How are we feeling?'  
Blinking again, Jason spotted Alfred stood expectantly by the door. Giving him a groggy smile Jason offered him a little wave.  
''Sup Alf?'  
Alfred did not look amused and merely walked over towards the windows.  
'I trust we slept well sir?'  
Nodding Jason winced when Alfred drew the curtains, bathing the room in bright light and flopped back down onto his pillows with a groan.  
'What time is it?'  
'9.30 exactly sir. If one is able to conduct themselves in a civilised manner, you are welcome to breakfast with the rest of the family or shall I bring you a tray?'

Scowling, Jason sat back up and folded his arms with a very audible huff.  
'I have been civilised Alfie!'  
'I'm afraid the path of destruction leading from the front steps to your quarters says otherwise, sir. An apology would not go amiss.'  
'That was Dickhead's fault not mine! He wouldn't listen, he never listens to me!'  
Jason protested before catching Alfred's raised eyebrow and remembering that some battles were not worth fighting.  
'I'm sorry, Alfred. Can we please be friends now?'  
A warm smile, spread across the butlers face and he walked over to pat the young man softly on the shoulder.  
'Even at your worst I have always been your friend, Master Jason. In my experience, one needs love the most when one deserves it the least. Maybe you could remember that when conversing with Master Richard?'

Jason grunted what he hoped sounded vaguely like an agreement, before pulling back the covers and swinging his legs out, to sit on the side of the bed. Yawning he ran a hand threw his tangled hair and tried to look a little less defeated than he felt.  
'May I suggest making use of the facilities before coming down sir? When was the last time we saw soap and water?'  
Frowning Jason actually tried to remember the last time he'd washed but came up with a blank and gave up pretending not to look defeated. Letting his shoulders sag, he hung his head and sucked on his bottom lip.  
'I dunno.'  
'I have to admit sir, I am disappointed in your lack of self care whilst out in the community but I suppose it is something which can be fixed.' Alfred watched the young man nod along silently before crouching down and taking his ward's hand. 'I'm afraid the Ming vase in the foyer is broken. Master Richard deems it beyond repair, I however, am of the opinion that with a bit of loving care and some glue it shall be as good as new, what do you think Master Jason?'

A small smile tugged at Jason's lips and he lifted his head to look at the butler in amusement.  
'I'll give it a shot.'  
'Very well sir, I am pleased to hear that we are on the same page.' Giving his hand a final squeeze Alfred straightens back up and was off towards the door. 'I have taken the liberty of laying out clean clothes for you. I shall inform Masters Richard and Timothy that you shall be joining them for breakfast shortly.'  
Jason's head snapped up at that and he couldn't hide the small scowl.  
'Tim's here? Already?'  
'Yesterday was quite fraught with drama sir. Master Timothy thought it best he arrived early.'  
With that Alfred was gone and Jason merely sighed before standing and wandering over towards the bathroom. He had a feeling today was going be as equally long and as equally infuriating as yesterday.

Not 20 minutes later, Jason was showered and stomping off towards the kitchen where he knew his brothers would be breakfasting. He couldn't help but grumble at the shirt and dress pants he was wearing. He didn't have any spare clothes at the Manor, so he could only deduce that these where some of Bruce's hand me downs. Alfred, as nimble fingered as ever, seemed to have spirited away his own clothes whilst he was showering so he was left with no choice but to where Bruce's stuff or succumb to moping about in a towel all day.  
As he approached the kitchen he picked up on Dick and Tim mid-conversation and tried to listen in.

'Seriously? Sorting out Gotham Academy, I don't mind. Sorting out Damian's schooling, I don't mind. Sorting out the colossal mess Jason left behind with ISIS I do mind Dick and I won't do it. He made his bed so he can lie in it!'  
'You don't mean that Timmy! We've got to protect him. Especially now, I'm worried about him, more than Damian. I fear he may be going down hill again and with Bruce off world? If he spirals we'll have no choice but to-'

'Put me back in Arkham?' Jason interrupted as he stepped into the kitchen, scowling at his brother's who both blinked up at him in shock. 'That's real nice. Nice to know that you lot are more than happy to throw me back into that hell hole, if I get too much of a nuisance for you! Thanks.'  
'Killing three terrorists linked with ISIS whilst hacking both US and European intelligence is more than a nuisance.' Tim grumbled into his coffee.  
Throwing him a chastising look, Dick was up and crossing the room to Jason. He tried to give him a hug but Jason just stepped back and glared fire and brimstone at him.  
'No, no Little Wing. That's not what we meant!'  
'Yes it is.' Jason practically yelled back with a snarl, eyes flying from one Judas of a brother to the other. 'I don't need you. Either of you. I do just fine on my own.'

'Master Jason? Would you like tea or coffee this morning sir?'  
Turning Jason blinked at Alfred who was waiting patiently for an answer.  
'Tea please.' He mumbled before spinning on his heel and storming off to sit at the breakfast bar, like hell he was sitting at the table with those two. A cup of tea and a plate of chocolate chip pancakes were placed down in front of him. Jason stared at the pancakes in surprise, Alfred only made his favourite breakfast as a treat, wasn't he supposed to be in trouble?  
'I expect all of that to be eaten young sir. I also thought you would like to know, that Leslie has kindly written up your prescription and has informed me it shall be ready for collection this afternoon, if you would like to accompany me?'  
'I don't need a prescription for anything except Arsenic for those two!' Jason grumbled, stabbing his fork into his pancakes to put his point across.  
'Hmm, maybe we should pick up some glue for the broken vase as well. That is if you are still agreeable to helping me piece it back together Master Jason?'  
Nodding Jason closed his eyes and fought the temptation to faceplant the pancakes.  
'Sure. Not like I have much of a choice about anything right now.'  
Chuckling Alfred took a seat next to him with his own cup of tea, eyes dancing with amusement.  
'Come now Master Jason you know that is not true. I am relying on you to choose the most suitable glue to mend our vase with.'  
Jason wasn't convinced and spent the remainder of the meal wishing he was the pancakes when he stabbed it with his fork.

Dick and Tim eventually carried on their conversation and it started well. Tim and Dick both agreed Jason had been right to withdraw him and Damian never liked it there anyway. The problem they were having was deciding on where to send Damian to instead. They had hit the exact same problem Damian had discovered last night.  
'He could be homeschooled?' Jason offered from the breakfast bar, but the pair carried on their conversation as if they hadn't heard him. 'I said, he could be homeschooled.' Jason spoke a bit louder. Again, he was ignored and it became quite apparent that he'd get more attention from the fruit bowl.  
Despite being the only one who didn't have his head up his ass yesterday, the only one who was actually fighting Damian's corner yesterday, here he was. Being babysat by Alfred and treated as if he were just an unstable lunatic who was seeing pink unicorns.

Where was the brat anyway? Snubbing Jason was one thing but Damian? He should have a say in what happened next?  
Despite popular belief, Jason had insight. Jason knew his bullshit tolerance levels were horrifically low at the moment and his fuse was smaller than an atom. His temper was rising and every second that those two idiots spent ignoring him, it just got worse.   
Alfred rested a hand on his knee, frowning he looked down, and it wasn't until then that Jason realised that he had been bouncing his leg in agitation. Whoop, way to go for not looking like he was completely loopy.  
'Let them solve this Master Jason. Come along, let's go see what we can make for lunch.'  
'No.'  
'Master Jason I really must insist-'  
'I said no, Alfred!' Jason bellowed angrily, standing up he stormed over to his brother's and slammed his hand down onto the table between the pair. Two sets of eyes fell to his hand before lifting to look at him. Dick's gaze darkened.  
'Jason, remove your hand and go with Alfred.'  
'No, you're going to listen to me!'  
'Jason, I know you don't want a repeat of last night, but if you do not remove your hand, I will take you back to your room!'

Scowling, Jason did as told and removed his hand, only to sit down heavily in the chair next to Dick.  
'You can't just lock me up in that fucking room each time I do something you don't like Grayson! I am not Bertha Rochester!'  
'Bertha who?' Dick questioned, shaking his head at Jason in complete confusion until Tim tapped his hand to gain his attention.  
'The violent, insane wife of Mr Rochester in Jayne Eyre. He locks her in the attic for ten years and basically pretends she doesn't exist. It's a book, Dick.' Tim explained, shooting wary glances at Jason every now and then, who was turning a vibrant shade of red.  
Dick's mouth formed a silent 'oh', his eyes roaming Jason's face as if he believed there to be a likeness before shaking his head and turning away.  
Jason wanted to pound his stupid holier than thou face into the table.  
'Dick listen-'  
'Jason. Go to your room. I will not ask you twice!'  
'Damn it Dick will you get down from your fucking high horse and listen to me?'  
Taking a deep breath, Jason closed his eyes and counted slowly to ten. Knowing, just knowing Dick was giving him the 'your being difficult' look and he had had enough.  
'I am Damian's brother too. I was the one who spotted what Gotham Academy was doing not you. You were all set to sail Damian down the river and let them suspend him for making death threats. You didn't ask the questions, you didn't see the knuckles. I did. I did all that and what? Now I'm incompetent? An inconvenience to lock away?'  
Gritting his teeth Dick pointedly stared at the table and shook his head.  
'Little Wing that is not what's happening. I'm asking you to go to your room to calm down and refocus.'  
'Why? Because I have an opinion? Does it bother you that much that I was the one Damian talked to?'  
'Jason, stop it!' Tim yelled from across the table, glaring daggers at his brother who just have him a death look right back.

 

'You two make me sick. Sat there making plans amongst yourselves. Where's Damian? This is his life, his future your talking about not yours!'  
Pausing Jason saw that nothing was going in and he gave up. Pushing away from the table he stood and shook his head, shaking hands forming fists as tears burned his eyes.  
'I thought you were better than him Richard. You can't just decide things about other people's lives and demand they go along with it. Damian has a damn right to know what's going on, to have a say in his own life. You can't just control people like this.'  
'Little Wing, Jason, that is not what I'm doing I -'  
'No. Save it.' Wiping his eyes on the back of his hand Jason turned away. 'You think I'm making this up? You have a very short memory, Golden Boy. I've had the exact same bullshit pulled on me for years. I'm used to it, but you're not doing it to my little brother. It's only when you have to fight to make your own decisions that you understand how important that is. I'm wasting my breath on you two. Go ahead. Carry on having your little meeting.'  
With that he stormed off towards the door before he hit someone, mainly Dick. He could feel the eyes on him and with a heavy sigh he lifted his hands in surrender without looking back.  
'Oh don't ya panties in a twist. I'm going to my room. Where I belong right? Not like I have a say.'

Jason stomped all the way to the staircase. Tears knotting in his throat and his stomach a swirling cesspool of fire that curled up around his chest compressing it. He couldn't breathe.  
Pausing, he looked up the grand staircase in the direction of his room and just felt like breaking down in a puddle of tears and anger. It was happening again. This was exactly why he never came fucking home. This wasn't his home. Home was meant to be safe, where you loved and supported. That's what they always told him but that was a load of bullshit. Narrowing his eyes, Jason span on his heel and made for the front door.  
Fuck it and fuck them.  
They wanted him to sit in his room all day? They'd have to fucking well find him first.  
Fuckers.  
On his way out he spotted his jacket which Dick had been quick to confiscate as soon as he got out of the God damn car. Alfred had clearly hung it on the coat stand as if he wasn't even trying to hide it from him.  
Frowning, Jason took it and slipped his arms inside his jacket, feeling the comforting feeling of the cool polyester lining, the smell of the worn leather mixed with cigarette smoke and motor oil.  
God bless Alfred. He really was the only half decent person in this place.  
Unlocking the door Jason heaved it open as quietly as he could before slipping out into the morning.

He supposed he should find Damian. If the kid even had a single clue about what Dick and Tin were talking about the kid was probably feeling very similar to himself. He needed to calm himself down first though else he'd only end up shouting at the brat and that would get him no where


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, I'm feeling mean now but I promise next chapter is Tim and Dick kicking butt ;)

The problem with being angry wasn't the rage, it wasn't the tears that Jason was pretty sure actually scalded his eyes. No, it was the way his thoughts raced, jumping from one thing to the other, crisscrossing and tangling up into an unintelligible web. It was hopeless to try and figure anything out and any action he took? Jason agreed with the rest of the world, was reckless, stupid and not thought through. In his defence though, how on earth could he think through a problem and come up with a logical solution when he couldn't focus on a single thought for more than a minute? When the tips of his fingers all the way down to his toes burned to the point where they became painful, the only relief he got was to get up and pace, do something, anything.  
Everyone got angry when Jason got angry. They yelled at him as if he had meant to be like this, that he consciously decided to run on autopilot and just do whatever idea stuck long enough for him to recognise. No one seemed to understand how frightening it was. How frustrating and confusing to not be in control and to have no way of regaining it until the anger had run its course. How the burning in his limbs reminded him of being in the explosion at the warehouse. That, that was exactly how he felt.  
Jason was just lying helpless as his world erupted around him, fire and red hot metal scorching him, the force knocking the air out of him, sending his body flying like a rag doll. If he ever had to describe what being angry felt like? That is exactly how he would describe it, like being in an explosion.

Grumbling to himself Jason walked, just walked. He had no where to really go. Despite their fall out Jason agreed with Dick that the safest place for him right now was at the Manor. He wasn't stupid but he wasn't going to admit that because if he let Dick think he agreed with one thing? The bastard would decide that everything else he was doing was okay to. It wasn't.  
Luckily for Jason the Manor had acres of land for him to walk in, feeling his blood thrumming through him, hot with fury.  
Maybe he wasn't completely alone though? Frowning, Jason dug around in his jacket for his phone.  
The screen was blank, dead.  
His phone had run out of battery and the only way he could charge it was to go back inside and end up being put back in his room. As large as his room was, what Dick didn't get was when your limbs actually caused you physical pain if you don't move, do something? Being forced into that room, to have the door locked and his only choice being to pace the room up and down, up and down, was torture. The feeling of being trapped, having no escape sent him vivid flashbacks of his past to join the anger. It just makes everything ten times worse and instead of calming down, Jason just ends up doing something stupid.  
'Fuck.'  
His fist curled tightly around the phone and it took a lot, a hell of a lot of effort and self control not to hurl the useless device into the fountain. He wanted someone to talk to damnit.  
Shoving the phone back in his pocket instead Jason just kept on aimlessly walking.

Eventually he passed the fountain, the ornamental shrubbery and entered the 'rough ' part of the Manor's gardens. He stormed past Alfred's potting shed, the vegetable patch, the compost heap, the coop of chickens that probably belonged to Damian.  
A pile of logs and an axe came into view.  
No one understood how Jason felt when he got angry but that statement wasn't exactly true.

'I'm not talking to you right now, Jason.'  
Bruce's deep, calming voice cut through his racing thoughts and he could see him now. Stood by the door, pointing outside into the garden.  
'Go and chop some logs. When you can think coherently, you can come back and tell me what the matter is. I shall then shoot down every negative thought you have and we will find a rational solution.'

Bizarrely, Bruce got that Jason couldn't express what was upsetting him when he was angry, that he needed to do something to stop the burning.  
As a boy, Jason had spent a ridiculous amount of time chopping wood for Bruce. Even in the middle of summer when firewood wasn't needed.

 

Cocking his head at the axe wedged deep into the chopping block, one thought that flitted through his thought processes was that maybe Bruce understood what it felt like to be as angry as Jason got. Luckily that thought like all the others was quickly replaced by something else before Jason could wind himself up over it.  
Sighing, Jason cast another glance at the log pile and shrugged off his jacket. No matter the reasoning behind it, he always did find that he managed to regain control of himself when Bruce sent him outside to chop wood. It's not like he had anything else going for him at the moment.  
Jason hung his jacket carefully over a near by pitch fork which was stuck in the ground, he made his way over to the axe and hauled it out of the chopping block.

Testing the weight of the axe in his hands, Jason selected a log and set it down on the chopping block.  
Lifting the axe, he pretended the log was Grayson's head and brought the tool down with an almighty roar, watching the wood split apart in satisfaction. Oh hell yes. That felt good. Now he remembered why he'd never really disobeyed Bruce when he'd been told to go outside.  
Huffing a claiming breath, Jason took up another log and chopped that in half too, repeating the action again and again. At odd intervals a cuss or angry rant would leave his lips as he swung the axe down. The sun rose higher but Jason didn't recognise the time going by, too engrossed with chopping wood. He had long since lost his shirt but sweat still beaded across his brow and ran down his back, rolling off muscle as his arms flexed with the power he put behind every swing. Slowly, Jason's thoughts slowed with the rhythmic pounding and he could think, his limbs still burned but in a good way, like they always did after patrol or a good work out. The world didn't feel like it was ending just yet, he still had options, he wasn't backed into a corner just yet.

'Tt. I understand you are angry, but could you please try to stick to one language, Todd? It is quite vexing to follow what it is exactly you are trying to say.'  
Jason startled and the sudden voice and turned to see Damian observing him with a very amused expression.  
'Qué! Comment? Min 'ayn 'atit?' (What! How? Where did you come from?) Jason spluttered, staring at the boy in disbelief who just cocked an eyebrow at him.  
'Really Todd? Three languages in one sentence? I am walking Titus. I thought that to be quite obvious? How you became Robin I shall never know.'  
Shaking his head, Jason tried to get his mind to focus on one language and one train of thought. Lowering his axe he noticed that the boy was indeed holding Titus by his leash, a very tired looking Titus. Damian also looked like he had been out for a while, it had obviously been early when he'd headed out as a hoodie was tied around his waist since the day had warmed up.  
'Damian how long have you been walking Titus for exactly?' Jason asked slowly, being careful to speak in just English.  
Damian pulled a face before shrugging and looking back off towards the house.  
'Since 8.32 am. Drake was due to arrive at 9.00 am but as predicted he arrived earlier at exactly 8.44 am. If my future is to be discussed as if I am invisible? I prefer to not be in the room while they do it.' Pausing he cast a disapproving glance over the logs his brother had chopped. 'I do not wish to lower myself to such menial tasks.'  
Jason wiped a hand across his brow and chuckled in amusement.  
'Old Man makes you chop wood too huh?'  
His little brother merely wrinkled his nose before turning away, kicking at the stones beneath his feet as an awkward silence descended on the pair. 

Jason chopped another log, anger bubbling in his stomach once more at the realisation that Damian was just as used to this bullshit as he was. Now he thought about it, the boy had been brought up by Talia and now Bruce, did the kid even have a say on what colour toothbrush he had?  
'Damian?'  
'Yes, Todd?'  
'If you were listened to, would you want to have a say?'  
Damian frowned before looking up at Jason as if he's just dribbled down his shirt, if he were wearing one.  
'Of course I do. I told you last night, Todd.' He snapped before shrugging and turning away. 'I am of the understanding that you already know what happens when one tries to express an opinion seeming that you are out here and not inside. I trust Grayson to make a decision that is in my best interests. He is yet to fail me.'  
Pursing his lips, Jason looked up towards the Manor before looking at his brother again with a lopsided smile.  
'So? What do y'want Kid?'  
Damian sighed before sitting down on a log and releasing Titus' leash, the dog was too tired to wonder far and just lay down beneath a nearby tree.  
'I like the idea of homeschooling. I have looked more into this and it is very similar to how mother schooled me. I liked learning that way.' He mumbled not looking up at his brother but feeling his eyes on him. 'As I have said, Grayson shall make a decision that is in my best interests.'  
'What grade you in brat?'  
'Grade 8.' Damian grumbled, cheeks flushing in shame. 'Apparently, I need to improve my social skills before advancing to a grade more suited to my academic level.'  
Nodding Jason tried not to look surprised, everyone else in the family had skipped at least one grade. He could see why Damian would find it embarrassing to be stuck in the one he should be in at his age.  
'Okay.'  
'Why?' Damian questioned, lifting his head to look at Jason quizzically. Blue eyes giving him the carbon copy of Bruce's look whenever he was trying to work something out.

Grinning like the devil, Jason chopped a final log before swinging the axe up to rest on his shoulder.  
'Dami, I think it is time I taught you a protocol called 'Fuck Them.''  
'Fuck Them?' Damian parroted, interest sparking behind the suspicious glare he was giving his brother 'and what exactly does that entail, Todd? Need I remind you that you are in enough trouble already?'  
Chuckling, Jason nodded and gave his little brother a wink.  
'I was your age when I came up with the 'Fuck Them' Protocol. Basically, you are going to let those two buffoons in there plan as much as they like. Whatever they decide will be null and void because you? Oh you are going to make decisions of your very own and Ima gonna help ya do it. Bastards won't know what hit 'em.'  
Damian's brow furrowed further and he cocked his head slightly in thought. 'That is how you succeeded in absconding from Arkham.'  
It was a statement not a question and Jason just grinned toothily. He remembered the look on his brother's face when he had flown off in that helicopter. The kid had been secretly impressed even if he'd never say so.  
'You betcha!'  
'Very well. What is your proposal?' Damian replied with a curt nod, his mood clearly lifting.  
Smirking, Jason sauntered over to his jacket and much to Damian's bafflement single handedly selected and lit a cigarette.

'I can teach you.'  
'What? You seriously expect me to believe that you can teach? Todd, I know Pennyworth had to prompt you, for you to remember personal hygiene this morning.'  
Jason scowled and cocked an eyebrow at his little brother.  
'What y'mouth brat! True, I haven't taught 8th Grade but it's secondary education. I can teach you English and History. I can find suitable tutors for the rest.'  
'Suitable tutors?'  
Another cocked eyebrow and Damian sighed and shook his head.  
'I suppose you do need something to keep you occupied until the heat wears off. Father will kill you for this, if Grayson refrains until he comes back.'  
'Heh, neither of them got the stones or the morals for that and you know it.'  
Smirking Damian lifted his head again and shrugged a shoulder.  
'I guess you may be a little less insufferable than I first believed. However, you are still a knuckle dragging imbecile.'  
Jason smiled, his anger slowly fizzling away when he watched his brother genuinely smile. That smile was worth all the bullshitty bullshit of this morning.

'Ah, there you are sirs. I did assure Master Grayson that you had not gone far.'  
Rolling his eyes, Jason turned and placed a hand on his hip.  
'Aw shucks Damian, our escape has been thwarted.'  
'Master Jason, you are neither amusing nor witty.'  
Alfred deadpanned, and Jason was sure that the butler knew exactly what they had been planning.  
'I am heading into town, Master Jason, I am hoping that you are still willing to accompany me?'  
Not waiting for whatever surly response he was going to receive, Alfred turned to Damian and inclined his head.  
'Maybe you would care to join us sir? The more the merrier.'  
Before either of the boys could reply, Tim appeared by the potting shed hands on his hips.

'Jason put down the weapon and do as Alfred says. Dick and I have to go out. We shall be back before dinner.'  
Jason liked having good moods, he liked to wave at them as they passed by at the speed of light.  
Growling, Jason motioned to the pile of logs he had chopped with a growl.  
'It's a tool, Replacement. It's a tool until I throw it at someone's head. Would you like me to throw it at your head?' He yelled lifting the axe off his shoulder to enhance his threat.  
'Master Timothy, I have been more than amiable this morning, do not try my patience. I can assure you that both Master Jason and Master Damian shall be just fine in my care. Now, if you are quite finished antagonising your brother? I suggest you run long!' Alfred scolded, giving the middle Wayne boy a disproving glare. Tim blinked in surprise, clearly taken aback at being told off before nodding briskly and almost running back towards the Manor without another word.

'Yes. I do feel a short excursion into town shall do us all the world of good. Don't you agree Master Jason?'  
Nodding, Jason sighed in defeat and slammed the axe back into the chopping block.  
'I suppose.' He grumbled, pulling on his shirt and jacket. 'I guess I should have a quick shower before we leave?'  
Smiling, Alfred nodded and motioned for the pair of them to follow him.  
'You managed to recognise your need to wash independently! My, my Todd we are full of surprises today, be careful not to exhaust yourself.' Damian snarked, jogging up to walk by his older brother who just ruffled his hair with a smug look.  
'Watch it, kiddo. We're getting school supplies while we're out. Do you really want a pop quiz on your first day?'  
Suddenly, Damian realised that siding with Jason could be a very, very bad idea, but to get what he wanted? He had to make sacrifices.

Half an hour later the trio were in the car and heading into Gotham. Jason was sulking in the backseat, ignoring Alfred every time he mentioned Dr Thompkins and prescriptions. Damian was sat next to him, throwing his pouting brother an exasperated look every now and again, as Alfred listed off all the 'fun' things they would be doing, seriously? He was destined for greater things than aiding Pennyworth with the grocery shopping.  
'Alf? Where have the other two morons gone?' Jason questioned lifting his head from where he had buried it in his chest. Sighing, Alfred met his gaze via the rear view mirror and raised his eyebrows.  
'The same as two minutes ago sir, Gotham Academy. I understand that this is frustrating but -'  
'Yeah, yeah I know I can't go back there after my slip up.' Jason grumbled, folding his arms tightly across his chest. 'You know just as well as I that, that isn't what I have the problem with Alfie.'  
'Indeed Master Jason but either way-'  
'Todd can we please cease this conversation? We have had it multiple times now and each time has the same result. Grayson has tasked Pennyworth with supervising your activities. Maybe if you tried to exhibit the same level of sanity as the rest of us? You would not require a minder. Grayson is only acting in your best interests.' Damian interrupted with a smirk, thoroughly enjoying the pained expression on his brother's face. Taking a deep breath, Jason smiled sweetly and turned to his little brother whose smirk was quickly vanishing.  
'Pot, kettle, brat, or have you not noticed that you're sat in this car as well? I suppose your precious Grayson is just acting in your best interests too?'

Damian blinked, he looked up at Alfred who was coincidently concentrating on driving before shaking his head.  
'No. No, this is not, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results? I have never done such a thing so why do I require a minder?'  
'Masters Jason and Damian, might I suggest lighter conversation? If the pair of you manage to conduct yourselves appropriately and cease your complaining, I may be persuaded to purchase ice cream on the way home.'  
'I will not be mellowed with the promise of frozen milk!' Damian practically shrieked, eyes widening with horror at the realisation that he had been shoved into the same category as Todd.  
A hand swatted him around the head and he turned to glare at Jason, who seemed far too amused by all of this.  
'Shut it brat. If you make me lose my Neapolitan, you will regret it.'  
This was what he was being subjected to.  
Groaning, Damian slammed his fist into the car door and scowled out of the window.  
He was the son of Batman, this was beyond infuriating. Never the less, after few minutes of seething, Damian was sat trying to decide which flavour of ice cream he wished to purchase.  
As much as Todd was a Neanderthal with a gun, his brother had shocked him with his wisdom. Accept the present confinements, plan from within and strike when they least expect it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The easiest way to rule Tim Drake is to target his family.  
> Don't do it.  
> Just don't do it.

Gotham Academy never could cope with Timothy Drake. During his time there, it was if the school was his own private empire rather than him just being a pupil. He managed to talk his way around every single issue, bombarding the teachers with such logically thought out, researched and well structured arguments, they had no choice but to agree with him.   
No one was sorry when the smart mouthed teenager tested out early to run Wayne Enterprises in his adopted father's absence.  
In fact, there had been cake in the staff room on his final day.

The snotty receptionist gulped and pushed up her glasses as Timothy Drake strode through the foyer like he owned the place with Mr Grayson trotting behind. He did suit the role of CEO perfectly. So far the only Wayne kid to don a polished suit and just ooze power like Mr Bruce Wayne did. When Mr Drake-Wayne put on his suit, the entire world bent to his will before even realising that they were.  
'Sandra. What a pleasure to see you again. How are the kids? I believe I have an appointment with the Principle regarding Damian Wayne.' Tim greeted with his charming smile that in truth was just terrifying.  
Nodding, the receptionist forced a smile and stepped out from behind her desk to shake the ex-pupils hand. She didn't want to find out what would happen if she snubbed the boy.  
'Of-of course Mr Drake-Wayne. Principle Andrews is expecting you if you'll follow me. Would you like a refreshment? The children are fine, thank you remembering.'  
The charming smile grew and Tim inclined his head. He actually had no idea if Sandra had children, it was just that she had a photo of them on her desk.  
'I would love a cup of coffee. If you would be so kind?'  
Nodding briskly, the receptionist motioned for him to follow her.  
'If erm, you would follow me Sir? Mr Grayson?'

Dick trailed behind, shaking his head in disbelief he knew his little brother was good but it was like visiting a completely different school to the one him and Jason had been to only yesterday!  
Talk about ignorance and prejudice. Maybe Jason was had a point?  
Shaking those thoughts from his head, Dick just followed Tim who was now having quite a pleasant conversation with the receptionist, who showed him to a chair outside the principle's office before scurrying off to make his coffee.   
She didn't ask if Dick wanted one.  
'I'm not Bertha Rochester!' Jason's voice rang in his ears as he watched the receptionist enter the principles office but he shut it out. Now was not the time to be deciphering his brother's rants, now was the time for sorting out his other brother, Damian.  
'What's the plan Tim?' Dick muttered quietly only for his younger brother to smile slyly and take a sip from his coffee.   
'Don't worry about it. I've got this under control.'  
Dick didn't like the sound of that. The tone in Tim's voice was unnerving and he actually felt a little sorry for whatever he was about to inflict on the poor principle. He also was growing steadily more annoyed about being kept on the dark, oh, and there was Jason popping into his thoughts again.  
'Mr Drake-Wayne? The principle will see you now. You too Mr Grayson.' The receptionist announced curtly, before strutting off down the corridor as fast as her little legs and heels would carry her. Probably to get as far away from the fall out Timothy Drake was about to create.  
Setting down his coffee, Tim stood and motioned for his brother to follow him, mischievous glee dancing in baby blue eyes.  
'Shall we brother dear?'  
Swallowing, Dick nodded and followed his brother in the principle's office, sitting down in the exact same chair he had yesterday.

Principle Andrews looked up at her two alumni and smiled warmly, unlike the pursed lips of disapproval she had yesterday.  
'Ah, Timothy. I must say it is a pleasure to see one of my best pupils, how is business going?'  
Smiling, Tim shook the principle's hand before sitting down next to Dick, crossing his legs and clasping his hands in the same manner as Bruce did during official business.  
'Oh the pleasure is all mine, Principle Andrews. I only wish we were meeting under more agreeable circumstances.'  
Pursing her lips, the women nodded before glancing over at Dick.  
'Mr Grayson, nice to see you again. Is your er, friend, not joining us?  
Dick forced a smile and nodded, eyes flitting between the two with interest.  
'No, I am afraid he is unwell and is resting at home.' Dick replied sweetly.   
'Even if he is being an arsehole about it.' He finished silently to himself.  
'What a shame. Please do pass on my wishes for a speedy recovery?'  
'Principle? If we may progress with the matter at hand? My time is short and precious.' Tim interrupted, levelling the woman with a hard look that made her swallow and nod.

'Oh, of course, Mr Drake-Wayne, my apologies.'   
Opening a document file on her desk, the principle removed her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. 'As you may be aware sir. Damian was involved in an incident yesterday where he incited violence after muttering what was perceived as a death threat. After speaking with Mr Harper who was in attendance yesterday, it app-'  
'Sorry but again, Principle, my time is short and precious! I am well aware of the events that happened yesterday from Mr Grayson's, Mr Harper's and my brother's recounts, I do not believe that I need to listen to yet another one?'  
Pursing her lips, Principle Andrews replaced her glasses and frowned.  
'I disagree. Timothy you were top of your class, surly you understand what a bias source is? The official report has taken both parties grievances into consideration.'  
Tim smiled again, his special smile, he saved for special people, and he watched the woman try and not flinch.  
'Oh believe me, the physical damage I personally witnessed on Damian's body this morning is not bias. How he came to be in that state or how quickly he was treated is trivial. Again, time, short, precious. What is quite evident is that Damian Wayne came to physical harm whilst in your care. Is that not correct Principle?'  
'Yes.' Principle Andrews replied through gritted teeth, looking more than a little pained by her admission.  
'Did the other boys sustain any physical injuries?'  
'No.'  
'So Damian was assaulted. In the eyes of the law, I doubt a perceived death threat would be enough to really stick as a defence case. Even my interns could topple that one, especially as it has been proven that the words were actually pacifist in nature.'

'The law? You intend to press charges sir?'  
'If Damian wishes to and believe me, I shall be heavily advising that he does.' Tim replied matter of factly, blinking at the principle as if she had asked a stupid question. 'I must admit with Damian's accusations that the attack was a retaliation due to recent events in Europe. Coupled with the history of bullying in this school, I feel he would have a very good case. One the media would most definitely have an interest in, again due to recent events.'  
Tim watched his old principle's hackles rise, cooly. She gave him the same scowl from when he forced her hand and made her suspend his bullies all those years ago.  
'Timothy Drake, as an alumni to this school, I would have thought you better than to believe that? Bullying has not and will never be tolerated in this establishment!'  
Tim's lips tugged up slightly in a half smile, and Dick did a double take. It was a carbon copy of the look Bruce had before he verbally sucker punched someone in the face, usually Clark.  
'You are quite right. I was a pupil at this school and yes I agree, I would not be where I am today if I had not attended here.'   
Principle Andrews relaxed in her seat and smiled. Dick wanted to warn her, tell her that she had fallen into the trap and was about to be annihilated. Then though, the evil cow did nothing when kids made his life a misery, riled Jason when he was upset, ignored Damian yesterday. The stupid woman deserved everything Tim threw at her.   
'If I had not be subjected to both verbal and physical abuse from your pupils with little to no assistance from yourself or other members of staff, I would not have had to be who I am now. I would not have had to learn how to hold power by relying on my intellect to ensure my own protection. At 14, I should not have been forced into finding legislation forcing you to suspend the boy who gave me a concussion because I refused to do his homework for him.' Tim explained, his tone clipped and as sharp as a razor blade, eyes still cool and heavy. 'Tell me again how Gotham Academy does not tolerate bullying and I shall cut this meeting short and go straight for the law suit. Time, short, precious.' 

Dick gaped, he knew Tim had had trouble at school. He knew that it had magically disappeared over night. Never in a million years, had he thought that his brother had worked from within to bring down those who tormented him. In hindsight, it was so Tim, Dick wondered how he had never worked that one out?   
Principle Andrews blinked before clearing her throat and becoming very interested in her mahogany desk.  
'I can assure both you and your family that I have made steps to ensure Damian's safety next semester. The two boys in question have been suspended for their actions but your brother has been put on compassionate leave until after the summer. Lessons have been learnt.'  
Tim burst out laughing and shook his head.  
'Oh I am afraid that is too little, too late, Principle.'   
Leaning forwards, Tim took a white envelope form out of his jacket and placed it pointedly on the desk.  
'This is formal written notice that Damian Wayne has been withdrawn from your school.'  
Watching the Principles eyes widen, Tim then drew out another envelope and placed it on top of the previous.  
'This is copy of a letter from my PA, instructing my accountants that Wayne Enterprises shall be withdrawing all financial backing, with immediate effect.'  
'Y-you can't!'  
'Oh I can and I have.'  
'B-but this is the most prestigious school in the county!'

Shaking his head, Tim looked almost bored as he studied his nails.  
'Indeed but Principle, how can Damian reach his full potential without support? Where he is ashamed to speak in his mother tongue? He is not advancing to a grade more suited to his academic level due to his social skills. Where is the evidence that you have supported him with this?'  
Principle Andrews gave a tight smile and shook her head with sigh.  
'Timothy, it would take a very special, understanding, teacher to connect with Damian. One I do not believe exists.'  
Tim lowered his hand and shot her a look of sheer determination.  
'That attitude is the reason why I am withdrawing him from this school. Damian is not unteachable! He is an intelligent, witty little boy and if I have to scour the planet to find a teacher who can reach him, believe me, I shall.'  
Dick blinked at Tim, taken aback by how passionately he spoke about the little brother he always claimed he could not stand.   
'I think we are done here. Good day Principle Andrews and all the best for the future.'   
Standing Tim went to shake the woman's hand but received a pensive frown in response.  
'Not quite Mr Drake-Wayne.'

Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Tim sat back down and quirked an eyebrow, noting how the woman's gaze was fixed somewhere behind him.  
'This is a very, personal, matter but if my suspicions are right? I can concerned about your brother's 'friend's welfare.'  
Dick swallowed and glanced across at Tim, who still remained perfectly neutral.  
'I'm sorry I do not understand. Time, short, precious, Principle.'  
Motioning to the wall behind him, Principles Andrews smiled, eyebrows disappearing into her tight bun. Tim turned to notice the pictures of deceased pupils, Jason's of course, slap bang in the middle. Christ, he still had the same scowl. Uh oh, Jason would have scowled yesterday. Tim had a feeling the principle got suspicious way before his little slip of the tongue.  
'I am of the belief that the rather vocal young man in here yesterday was not a Mr Harper but in fact Jason Todd.'  
Principle Andrews sat back in her chair with a smug smirk, thinking that she had managed to gain some leverage.   
'Shall we re-negotiate your financial backing Timothy?'

Dick watched the best amateur dramatics performance he had ever witnessed. Tim grew pale, his eyes wide as he turned slowly back around to face the Principle's smirk.  
'J-Jason Todd? My brother!'  
'Indeed. I wonder what Miss Vale would think about it all? I have witnesses that can back up that it was indeed Jason stood in my office shouting the odds. He was the spitting image of him and his volatile behaviour I see has only worsened. Is that why he has been kept secret? Jason is now mentally impaired. I did always have my suspicions when he was but a boy. Such a shame, as he was such a bright child.'  
An angry roar caught the principle's attention just as a hand slammed down on the desk in front of her.  
'How dare you! How dare you speak about Jason like that!' Dick practically growled, limbs trembling in fury.   
Principle Andrews smiled at his violent display and cocked her head thoughtfully.  
'Your friend is unwell and needs rest, did you not say those exact words Mr Grayson? He did not appear physically unwell yesterday?'  
Growling, Dick's hands clenched into fists, fire and brimstone in his eyes as he levelled her with the Batglare.   
'You pretentious, ignorant bitch! How dare you!'

'Dick!' Tim called out, striding over to wrap his arms around his brother, humming soothingly. 'It's okay. It's okay. We know what she says isn't true. Jason was and always will be the intelligent, prankster with a big heart and so very brave. They don't know him. He's our brother and always will be.'  
Swallowing, Dick nodded, wiping tears he didn't know he'd been crying away.  
'I apologise for my outburst.' He mumbled, before sitting down and burying his face in his hands with a genuine sob. Hushing him, Tim rubbed his back soothingly before glowering at the smirking principle.  
'Did I touch a nerve?'  
'Of course you have.' Tim stated plainly, straightening up he motioned towards a distraught Dick.  
'We came here to withdraw Damian and you blackmail us with our dead brother? You accuse us of concealing him and then call him such an appalling, and quite frankly, outdated term? How else did you expect us to react. Jason is our brother and we will always love him.' Tim spat, tears of his own welling in his eyes. 'I have seen low and spineless dealings in my time but this one takes the gold!'  
'So you deny that Jason Todd was here, alive, yesterday?'   
'Time, short, precious.' Tim deflected, blinking to try and prevent tears from falling, without losing the power play by wiping his eyes. 

A small knock on the door interrupted the meeting and the trio turned to see the receptionist poke her head in with a nervous smile.  
'My apologies but the commissioner is here? Apparently you requested an appointment with him?'  
Dick's head shot up and he looked up at Tim with wide eyes, who snuck him a reassuring wink. Kneeling down as if to comfort him, Tim pressed his lips to his brother's hair before muttering into his ear.  
'Just trust me and go with it. I'll explain later before Alfred kills me.'  
'I do not recall contacting the commissioner Sandra? Is he quite sure?'  
'I called him. Please do send him in. His timing is impeccable.' Tim spoke up with a pleased smile.  
He shot a glare at the principle just before the commissioner entered the office looking rather confused.  
'Commissioner, how are you?' Tim greeted, straightening up to shake the policeman's hand.  
Jim took in the scene before him. The Principle looking smug and the two Wayne boys who, for want of a better word,looked, distressed.  
'I'm very well thank you, Tim. What's going on here? Dick, are you okay, Son? Whatever is the matter?' Jim asked, moving to bend down next to the young man he had known since he was but a boy and offered him his handkerchief. 'That's it Son. Chin up, where's that smile of yours?'  
Smiling slightly, Dick accepted the handkerchief and muttered his thanks.

'My brother and I are quite distraught. We came to withdraw Damian after an assault which we may or may not press charges for and the principle is claiming that our brother is alive!'   
Frowning, Jim looked from Tim to Dick and shook his head as his confusion grew.  
'Jason?'   
Nodding, Dick wiped away fresh tears with a stuttering breath and Jim was quick to place a comforting arm around his shoulders. Looking up at the principle he shook his head in disbelief.  
'Mrs Andrews? What is the meaning of this? You remember Jason just as vividly as I. You know the pain these boys have been put through after his death. The Wayne brothers have always been very close and what happened in Ethiopia was devastating for them all. Especially Dick here!'  
'Principle Andrews claims he was here yesterday, Commissioner. I speak on behalf of the entire Wayne family when I say that I am anxious to get to the bottom of this. I want to bring my brother back home where he belongs! I wish to open a case.'  
Tim informed him, watching how the principle gaped in shock and Dick buried his face into the handkerchief to mask whatever his reaction was.

'If my brother is found and was indeed here? I promise to reinstate the financial backing of Gotham Academy, as my thanks for mending the rift in my family. If however, the claims are proven to be a malicious attempt to blackmail me? I will be pressing charges.' Tim explained looking at the Commissioner who just nodded sedately.  
'I see. Tim I understand that this seems like hope but Son? You visit your brother's resting place, you know that he is at peace.'  
'That is exactly why I request that this is investigated. If this woman spreads such things can you imagine the media circus its will create? Commissioner, the Wayne family does not need to suffer the backlash from this. I want it proven that Jason is where he should be.' Closing his eyes, Tim sighed heavily and turned away. 'If there is anyone on this earth that deserves peace? It is my brother, Jason, and I will fight tooth and nail to give him that.'  
The conviction the boy spoke with enthralled the entire room. Lowering the handkerchief Dick smiled, a small genuine smile, and nodded, reaching up to take his hand.  
'Jason shall always have peace.'

'So? Care to explain to me what just happened in there Tim?' Dick questioned as soon as the pair were out of the school and safely driving away from it.  
Shrugging, Tim finally gave himself permission to wipe his eyes with a sniff.  
'Damian has been withdrawn from Gotham Academy along with our financial backing. Principle Andrews was stupid enough to try and blackmail me so I opened an investigation into Jason's resurrection.'  
Catching his brother's raised eyebrow, Tim sighed and slumped back into the car seat, gaze fixed on Gotham's streets as they whizzed by.  
'Other than outing Jason what else was I meant to do? At least with the GCPD investigating we stand a chance. Do you have any better ideas?'  
Sighing, Dick shook his head feeling completely drained and defeated. Part of him didn't want to drive home but just keep going into the distance.  
'I want to protect him, help him Tim but, God when it comes to Jason? I'm playing a constant game of improvisation. I've somehow got to find a half decent school for Damian with a teacher willing to teach him.' Sighing Dick closed his eyes and shook his head before refocusing on the road. 'I'm starting realise why Bruce constantly has a migraine.'

The rest of he short journey was made in silence, both boys lost in their own thoughts until they past through the Manor's gates.  
'Uh oh.'  
'What is it?' Dick questioned, following Tim's line of vision and his eyes narrowed.  
'Oh for God's sake! Who gave Jason a phone?'  
There sat on the Manor's steps amongst a jumble of bags, was Roy Harper.  
Dick had, had enough. He was tired. Physically, emotionally, he was just tired in every way you could be. For nearly 72 hours now, he had been working tirelessly to try and keep two of his brothers safe. The last thing he needed was his ex-best friend rocking up and throwing a spanner in the works. Him and Tim had a plan, the plan was working and Jason and Damian were going to be okay, as long as the plan was followed. They really, really didn't need anymore drama to deal with.  
Parking up, Dick switched off the ignition and stepped out of the car. Closing the car door behind him, he watched Roy clamber up to his feet and walk towards him. The guy looked mess, hair hung in greasy rat tails around his face and the shadows beneath his eyes rivalled Dick's. Despite having a multitude of bags, the archer looked like he hadn't washed or changed his clothes in days.  
Oh God no. No, he could cope with a spiralling Roy Harper to boot.

'Where's Jason?


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, back to squeezing in uni aswell as work.
> 
> Afraid this mean an slower updates but I am still writing I promise!
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos and comments I love reading them all!

Dick blinked and shook his head in disbelief, trying to control the bubble of frustrated anger which had slowly been growing inside his belly.  
'What?'  
Growling, Roy stormed over and coiled a fist in Dick's shirt.  
'You heard me! Give it up, Dick. I have been to Europe. I've been to the Bowery. I have turned over every single rock on this planet and the only place left where Jason could be is here! I know he's here, I got a text confirming it, so where is he?'  
Removing Roy's hand, Dick pushed his old friend roughly away from him and shook his head.  
'No. I'm not letting you near him. Just go back to wherever you came from Roy. Jason is with me. I'm looking after him. He is safe at home, where he belongs. Jason isn't well. He's vulnerable and I'm not letting you get into his head, encouraging him!'  
Roy blinked for few moments, clearly taken aback by Dick's outburst before throwing his head back and laughing.  
'Encouraging? You mean letting him be who he is? Encouraging him to actually have a self esteem, to fight himself for himself? Remind me, what exactly have you lot done apart from drive him to suicidal hate?'  
Dick snapped, flying at Roy he levelled him with a hefty right hook that ended with the pair of them scuffing on the ground.  
'Dick? Dick! Stop it!' Tim yelled above the din, racing around the car to try and get in between the warring friends.

'Richard John Grayson! What on earth is going on here?'  
Alfred's voice was barely raised but both boys immediately ceased trying to kill each other and froze in shock. No one had heard the second car arriving back.  
'Mr Roy Harper? I thought Mr Queen had brought you up better than to act like this.' Alfred scolded, stepping forwards to frown down at Dick and Roy before looking over at Tim.  
'I cannot formulate an expression using tangible words to describe my disappointment in the behaviour you boys have all been displaying . Master Wayne shall be hearing of this. Especially you, Masters Richard and Roy! I am especially disappointed in you. Acting like animals on the doorstep in full view of everybody. Apologise, right now young sirs.'  
'Sorry Alfred.' Dick and Roy grumbled from their spot on the floor only to flinch back when Alfred levelled them with a look that made the Batglare seem doting.  
'Not to me.'

Swallowing, the pair of old friends peered behind Alfred to see Damian stood by the car with a canvas bag which seemed to be full of books, looking just as disgusted.  
'I had thought you might be of use Harper. I did not expect for you to behave like a rabid dog.'  
The boy stated with a glare and Dick frowned.  
'You called him? Damian, answer me!'  
'Yes! Yes I did because someone needs to help Todd. No one else was doing it. I may have acquired Todd's phone form his jacket pocket earlier and charged it with this.'  
Digging into the pocket of his chinos, Damian withdrew a portable charger and Jason's now fully charged phone.  
'I refuse to apologise for my actions.'  
'You have no idea what you have just done!' Tim screeched, charging towards his little brother only to be held back by Roy. 'You stupid, clueless, child!'  
'Shut up!' 

The anguished roar silenced everyone.  
'Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!' Jason practically screamed, closing his eyes to the sea of stares.  
'Just shut up! All of you!'   
Pressing his hands to his ears, he shook his head when Dick and Roy both reached out for him, and stormed off inside.  
Roy just stood dumbfounded until a key was pressed into his hand.  
'Follow him, Sir. Master Jason has most probably escaped to his room.'  
Blinking, Roy looked down at the key in confusion before turning to cock an eyebrow at Alfred.  
'Huh? Jason's been spending his time in his room?'  
That sounded a little fake.   
The old butler looked away, his lips turned down in disapproval.  
'Alas, I must inform you that it has not always been of his own volition.'  
Swallowing, Roy's hand clenched tightly around the key in his hand before turning to glare at Dick, tears prickling his eyes.  
'What the hell have you done, Grayson?'

Roy didn't wait to hear Dick's reply. He really did not have the time for his stupidity. What Alfred had heavily implied had been happening sent chills right down his spine. They'd been locking Jason in his room and then the idiots wonder why he's balancing on a knife edge?  
How would they like it?  
Jogging inside, Roy made his way up the grand staircase and studied the collection of doors. He knew which one was Dick's and he knew that Jason's room was a couple of doors down from that. Bruce's blind hope that the two would grow up to become close brothers. Well, the man hadn't been mistaken. The two were incredibly close. Dick the only one, including himself, who had a clue about what went on at Arkham. That's how they were close though, bonded through lies and secrets but Roy was sure that somewhere under all the mess and confusion there was something positive.  
He was just struggling to see it right now.   
His gaze fixed on the door that was slightly a jar, he could here voices and the sound of heavy footfalls. Bingo!

'Knock, knock.' Roy muttered as he pushed open Jason's bedroom door. There pacing the room, up and down, up and down was his Jaybird. Muttering away in what he recognised as Arabic but he spoke to quickly for him to follow. 'What has Grayson done?' He mumbled to himself.  
'Hudu',Todd.'  
There was another voice, and that was when Roy realised that Damian had followed Jason after he had stormed off too.  
'Hudu''  
Calm.  
Smiling slightly, Roy watched the boy walk just in front of his brother, his right hand moving in a gesture, Roy recognised as a typical movement when trying to get someone to calm down or go slower. InJason's case, it was both. Was that why Jason was ranting in Arabic? Because Damian was there?  
Frowning he watched the boy nod along and try to reply before he was interrupted. Despite his older brother's fast pace and probably shocking sentence structure, Damian understood every word.  
Oh!  
It was his first language! Eyes widening, Roy watched the boy with new eyes. Of course that made sense, Talia was his mother, he grew up amongst men and women who spoke Arabic more than English. It also explained Damian's overly formal way of speaking English a little more.  
Despite his understanding though, Damian was still just a boy, he didn't have the words to calm his brother down because why would he? 

'Sssh, 'ana huna alan.' (Sssh, I am here now.) Roy called out softly. Jason just carried on pacing but Damian stopped. The boy turned slowly to blink at Roy in shock before a string of Arabic came tumbling out but Roy couldn't understand him.  
Shaking his head he held up a hand with a soft smile.  
'la yaseani 'illa 'an 'atakallam qalilana. (I can only speak a little.)' Roy explained before cocking his head over at Jason, who was still muttering away to himself. 'I'm afraid I am not like our esteemed linguist over there.'  
Smirking, Damian nodded before indicating towards Jason.   
'I can't get him to calm down.'  
Chuckling, Roy shook his head and moved to pat the boy on the shoulder in reassurance.  
'Word from the wise? Never tell someone to calm down Damian. It's just as useful as telling someone who is injured to just stop bleeding.'

'Jason is bleeding?'  
Roy chuckled when the boy frowned in confusion and looked over at his brother.  
'Metaphorically, yes, he is. He knows he needs to calm down, just like he would know he needs to stop bleeding if he were physically hurt. That doesn't change the fact that he is angry, bleeding.'  
A thoughtful noise escaped Damian's lips before he turned to look up at Roy, blue eyes sharp and clearly investing in the game.  
'Then you must tend to his wounds. He shall need bandages and painkillers.'  
Nodding, Roy ruffled the boy's hair before moving onwards to try and intercept Jason's pacing.  
'I think we just need a bandage, Damian. Jaybird doesn't like painkillers.'  
'Oh. I shall keep watch. Incase someone decides to bring painkillers.'  
One glance back and he saw that Damian had taken to hovering by the bedroom door. Eyes wide and engaged in observing what was going on like an interested student. Every now and again he cast a cautious glance out into the hallway. Despite appearing clueless, Damian had already assumed that closing the door on Jason, although stopping them from being disturbed, would only upset his brother more. He was a good kid.  
Finally succeeding in getting Jason to stop moving for more than two seconds, Roy dug into his pocket before pressing the key to Jason's room in his hand.

'This is yours.' Roy whispered. Forcing Jason to tilt his head and properly concentrate on what he was saying. A stark difference to the yelling his brothers had been doing since he's got here no doubt.   
Jason's hands clenched tightly around the metal before his legs buckled beneath him. Catching his partner by the armpits, Roy lowered them both gently to the ground, noticing that Damian had dashed back in and was now bouncing on the balls of his feet next to them.  
'H-Harper?'  
Shaking his head, Roy pressed a finger to his lips before tucking Jason's head beneath his chin.  
'I fucked up.' Jason practically whimpered, desperate hands reaching to clutch Roy's shirt. 'I was stupid and, and everyone's just talking at me, locking me up. I can't. Nosies, numbers and faces, so many letters.'  
Shushing his rambling, Roy pressed his lips against dark hair that smelt of the shampoo Dick used.  
Lifting his eyes he met Damian's, Roy cocked his head at the duvet on the bed. The boy seemed confused for a moment before dashing over and collecting it with an air of triumph.  
'Here you go, Todd.' He said, in what he thought was a comforting voice but really it was condescending. Yet, bizarrely, due to Damian trying to comfort his brother it actually turned out quite endearing. Emotions never were his strong suit, he was actually worse than his father in some respects, and that was saying something.

Taking the duvet with a thankful smile, Roy tucked it around his and Jason's shoulders. He expected Damian to retreat, but to his surprise he watched the boy drop to his knees and bury himself beneath it too.  
'Sssh Todd. I find it disconcerting when you cry.'  
Jason nodded his head and appeared to try and calm himself down but it was a futile effort and he just ended up sobbing harder. Cocking his head, Roy offered the boy a half smile, eyes resting on the stitched up gash on his forehead.  
'What happened?'  
Damian shrugged before leaning back against the wall, tucking the blanket snugly around the three of them.  
'School.'   
He replied as if that explained everything, a hand moving to rest on Jason's shoulder. 'Todd gave me his assistance when no one else would. I seek only to return the kindness bestowed upon me.' Brushing his brother's tears away with the corner of the duvet like he had the night before, Damian sighed and lifted his eyes to look at Roy.  
'I know that you are displeased with Grayson and Drake. I agree that their methods have been injudicious but Harper? When you confront them, I urge you to remember that love can be a malevolent emotion. Ignorance only exacerbates the situation. When we do not understand, sometimes, we can hurt the ones we strive to protect.'  
Damian's breath stuttered and he closed his eyes for a moment before carrying on.  
'I am still of the belief that it is honourable to seek to educate the ignorant instead of persecuting them.'

Roy just stared. He honestly could not believe that such wise words had come from one so young. At his age, Roy was no where near as empathic as this boy, who was quite often judged as cold and emotionless, out of touch with human empathy.  
''m sorry.' Jason mumbled, reaching out to take his brother's hand. 'I'll sort it.'  
'Tt, shut up you ingrate. I must insist that you cease this lunacy at once Todd. It is most displeasing and you are making my clothing damp with your simpering.'  
Jason chuckled softly, lifting his head from the sanctuary of Roy's chest to offer him a small smile.  
'Can't believe you stole m'phone you little shit.'  
Rolling his eyes, Damian gingerly rested his head against his brother's shoulder, obviously not convinced if he wanted to commit to such an action.  
'Someone had to take control of the situation.'  
'Thank you.'  
'Shut up and go to sleep Todd. You are rambling nonsense again and I refuse to listen to it.'  
Roy shook his head in wonder at the careless banter and gave Jason a squeeze.  
'Kid's right. Get some kip, Jaybird, you need it.'  
'Tt, hypocrisy' Damian snarked, peering around Jason to frown at Roy. 'It never has looked good, on anyone.'

Jason was the first to succumb to closing heavy eyelids, leaving Roy and Damian to try and hold the world's most awkward conversation before they too ended up nodding off.  
An hour or so later the trio was awoken by a soft knocking on the open door.  
'Sorry to disturb you sirs but I really must insist you eat something.'  
Roy frowned in concern when Jason shot a look at Alfred before pulling the duvet over his head.  
It wasn't until the butler approached them that he realised why Jason was hiding.  
Amongst three bowls of soup with bread rolls was a glass of water and a meds pot.  
'What are they?' Roy questioned, eyeing up the tablets. He didn't really need an answer, he had seen these particular tablets enough to know what they were.  
'Master Jason's evening medication, Sir. It's his usual prescription, are you familiar with it?'  
Taking the medication, Roy nodded before crawling back over to Jason and digging him out of his sanctuary.  
'Yo Jaybird? Quit playing hide and seek. I gots your tablets here? You gonna take 'em?'  
'No. I don't want to.'  
'Well, why not? Do not be preposterous they help you!' Damian piped up, why was his brother being so damn oppositional about this?   
'I don't like 'em. They make me feel sick. I don't need them. I don't want them.'  
Jason yelled from his blanket fortress, clearly growing more and more distressed about the whole thing. Damian blinked in surprise, he hadn't thought that could have been a reason, or that the grumpy mound of blanket even had a reason.  
Hitching a breath, Roy finally managed to pull the duvet away and he placed a kiss on his partner's temple.

'Enough Jaybird. It's okay. Look, the tablets are going back on Alfred's tray, okay?'  
Other times, Roy might have spent a little longer trying to coax Jason around but he knew him well enough to know that this evening was a no go. Jason had very clearly and very firmly said no. And after having his independence stripped away, yet again? Roy could understand it.  
Jason watched warily as Roy placed the med pot back on the tray before dishing out the three bowls of soup and the bread rolls.  
'Thank you.'   
Roy offered with a smile but Alfred just frowned down at the tablets.   
'I shall have to inform Master Richard about Master Jason's non-compliance.'  
'Good!' Roy replied sharply, before looking over at Jason who was gingerly eating his soup with Damian. 'Please also inform him, that he and I are gonna have a little chat in the morning. Quite frankly, I am too knackered to be civil tonight. I advise that for the benefit of his health he avoids me until I have slept. I think it more important that I concentrate on Jaybird right now.'

Alfred couldn't help but smile slightly before nodding and retreating from the room.  
'Very well Sir. I shall inform Master Richard of your health advise.'  
Roy returned the amused smile and watched the butler leave, noting how he too left the door open, before joining the two brothers in their picnic on the floor.  
'Thank you.' Jason mumbled, flicking a shy look up at Roy who just shook his head and grabbed his share of the bread.  
'Jaybird, enough of that talk yeah? What do I say about that talk?'  
'What talk?' Damian enquired, growing more intrigued and confused as time went on. He'd never seen his disturbed older brother being treated like this before. Up until today he had always assumed that locking Jason up and throwing drugs at him like it or not was the norm. If he was honest, he felt for comfortable doing it Roy's way, it felt right.  
Roy smiled warmly before reaching over and ruffling the boy's hair, who snapped and grumbled at him.  
'Jaybird can be a special little button sometimes. Y'hear him being negative, implying that he is worthless or a lunatic or bad news, the list goes on, you tell him none of that talk yeah?'  
Damian looked from Roy to Jason, who was concentrating on eating soup as if he'd never had it before, thoughtfully. Nodding curtly, he went back to his own meal with a satisfied hum.  
The 'fuck them' protocol was working. Stealing Jason's phone while he chopped wood had worked wonderfully in his favour.   
He liked this new way of looking at the world. In his mind helping someone had always been working with them, not against them.

A couple of hours later, Alfred crept back in to remove the empty dishes and couldn't help but look fondly over the three sleeping boys. Roy sprawled across Jason's chest and surprisingly, Damian was leaning against his brother's shoulder. They hadn't moved from the floor and were wrapped up in the duvet like their own little cocoon.  
'Did Jason take anything Alfred?' Dick whispered from the doorway, face knotted with concern and exhaustion.   
Sighing, Alfred collected the dishes and turned to leave, pausing to give Dick a reassuring smile.  
'Master Jason is being taken care of. I suggest Sir, that you let the three of them rest and go to bed yourself. If there is one thing all of you boys need tonight, it is to get a healthy amount of sleep. Now run along and if you could find Master Timothy and explain to him the uses of a bed? I would be most grateful.'


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not overly happy with this one but it's got to the point where I'm now not picking and not getting far.
> 
> So I'm posting it and yeah.

Roy was never a morning person at the best of times. It always took him until at least midday to make a sound decision as to whether he actually wanted to participate in the day or not.  
He was the first to wake, back popping as he untangled himself from the jumble of limbs Jason and Damian had become. Roy decided not to think about how only a few years ago his back had never popped. He went to go off in search of breakfast until he reached the door and caught a whiff of himself. Nose curling he looked down at his disheveled state and plodded into the bathroom to study his reflection in the mirror.  
Now that he had actually slept and the panic and worry about Jason had subsided, Roy was horrifyingly aware of the state he was in. No way was he trailing through the manor when he smelled like a sewer.

Roy was never a morning person and even after a long hot shower and clean clothes he still wasn't totally convinced that being an awake member of society was a thing he wanted to do.  
Grumbling about nothing under his breath, Roy plodded into the kitchen and headed straight for the coffee machine. Caffeine would help. Caffeine always helped and thank the Lord the Waynes had a coffee machine that made real coffee! The downside to living with Jason 90% of the time was that the ass didn't understand the importance of coffee. He refused point blank to waste money on even the cheapest machine, and all of Roy's attempts at making one out his parts normally ended in fire trucks and trips to the ER. He could make robots, invent weapons but for some reason the inner workings of a basic coffee machine alluded him.   
It was worth noting though that although a coffee machine was apparently an expense, they owned umpteen different types of loose leaf tea and teapots.

The grumbling continued whilst Roy stirred his coffee and stomped over to the French doors, sitting out on the patio steps to have a smoke. Despite being in recovery for quite some time now, Roy still found that mornings were the worst. Waking up with a tension head ache, nausea and a sort of itching in his fingers he could only describe as pins and needles. It's why he could fully understand Jason's description of when his limbs burned, he supposed it was a similar fucked up neurone thing like his was.  
After a few drags on his cigarette and almost reaching the bottom of the coffee, his headache faded, his fingers stopped itching and Roy was at least willing to consider the world as a place he might want to exist in.   
'Roy?'  
Or maybe not.  
Grumbling, Roy ducked his head and lit up another cigarette. Nope it was official, living was not an activity he wished to engage with today.  
'What do you want Grayson?'

Finally giving up, he glanced over at Dick was stood, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, a slight blush on his cheeks.  
'I erm, Alfred wants to know what you want for breakfast?'  
'Not hungry.'  
Roy's stomach growled loudly in protest and Dick raised an eyebrow.  
Sighing, Roy collected his coffee mug and thrust it towards his now officially ex-best friend, in case there had been any leeway on that before.  
'Toast. You can fill this up again too.'  
The mug vanished from his grip and just like that Roy was alone again.   
Thank fuck for that.  
Enjoying the blessed silence, he finished smoking his cigarette at a leisurely pace, admiring the beauty of Wayne Manor's garden, considering if he wanted to take a walk.  
It seemed like a thing to do and the thought alone brightened his sour mood a little.

'Here you go. I couldn't remember which type of jelly you liked so I brought them all.'  
Biting back a groan, Roy looked down at the small tray placed next to him. It consisted of a few rounds of toast with butter and at least four different kinds of jelly. Dick's words caused his anxiety to spike and Roy swallowed before looking away from the jelly. He hadn't been able to stomach even a smudge of strawberry jelly on his toast ever since his addiction had kicked in. It was just yet another thing that had changed about him that Roy still was trying to come to terms with.  
Deciding that giving a brief nod was socially acceptable enough to not seem rude, Roy listened to Dick walking away again and was silently thankful that he was being left alone.   
It wasn't for long.   
No sooner had Roy finished spreading a thin layer of butter over one round of toast, Dick was back and God forbid, sitting down next to him.  
Roy's minimal breakfast looked pitiful compared to the huge bowl of cereal, toast, orange juice and a coffee that Dick was balancing. It was as if the bastard was purposely out to get him. Purposely shoving how much of a failure he was under his nose.  
That wasn't true.

Roy knew that wasn't true and just a persecutory paranoia sneaking in. So, he decided to turn away and nibble on his toast.  
'You didn't want jelly?'  
'Fuck, those observation skills are fine tuned aren't they, Grayson!' Roy mumbled sarcastically, hoping his defensive tone would make him back off.  
'Why are you only eating one round of toast?'  
Or maybe not.  
'Why are we analysing my breakfast? You don't see me pointing out that Lucky Charms are meant for 5 year olds?' Roy spat through gritted teeth, gaze entirely focused on his toast.  
Dick looked a little hurt, and Roy may have felt a little guilty for speaking to him like that, but then he remembered what he'd done to Jason and soon got over it.

The pair ate in a tense silence before Dick in his ultimate wisdom decided to speak again, Roy started eyeing up the butter knife to impale himself with.  
'You're my best friend, Roy.'  
'Ex- best friend.' Roy corrected under his breath, now actively stopping himself from reaching for the butter knife.  
Dick sighed and placed down his empty bowl, turning to look at the redhead who just stared at the knife as if he'd never seen one before.  
'Roy please, I'm- we've got to talk eventually. We both love Jason. We both want the best for him. Don't we?'  
Dick waited for an answer. Eyes wide and hopeful until it became clear that he was being ignored. Sighing, he shook his head and ran a weary hand down his face.  
'Look, Jason is relapsing and-'  
'Relapsing! Oh, I didn't know you'd actually spoken to him? Was that before or after you locked him up?' Roy snapped, shooting a fiery glance at his old friend he stood and moved to lean against the French doors. 'If Jason was relapsing he'd know and he'd say so.'  
'But there's how he behaved last night and Europe, you can't-'

'Making one stupid decision doesn't mean you're relapsing Dick. Everyone makes stupid ass choices! Sure, Jason's idiocy ended up with dead terrorists but with our lives? Isn't that an oopsie?  
Last night was a reaction Bird Brain. He had the stress of Europe, the stress of what happened at Damian's school. He is worried sick about his little brother. Instead of being talked to, he was shouted at. He was locked up, decisions made about him without his input or consent. He was even made to go to a pharmacist and dispense a prescription he didn't want. Jason then came back to what should be a safe place to find everyone at each other's throats. Shouting is like laughter, Dick. It sends him into Sensory Overload and the added stress beforehand wouldn't have helped. That's what ultimately caused the outburst. Didn't you see how he covered his ears?'  
Taking a deep breath after his mini rant, Roy looked over at Dick who looked on the verge of tears and he shook his head with a heavy sigh.  
' Don't talk to me about relapsing Richard because believe me, you ain't got a fucking clue.'  
'R-Roy? I'm sorry. I didn't know. I'm sorry.'   
Dick forced out and Roy almost, just almost went to hug him. Scowling, Roy collected his tray instead and stomped off back inside.  
'It ain't me who you gotta apologise to.'

With that, he left Dick stood motionless on the patio and went back inside, nodding at Tim who threw him a furious expression before rushing out to comfort his older brother.  
'Master Roy? Would you mind taking Masters Damian and Jason's breakfast upstairs with you?'   
Nodding Roy set down his tray and collected another one which had fruit salad, chocolate chip pancakes and thankfully a pot of coffee as well as the teapot.  
'I can give you something to settle the stomach if you require Sir?' Alfred offered, noticing that only one round of toast had been eaten and the jelly untouched. Smiling slightly, Roy shook his head and made to leave.  
'Thank you but I'll be fine by lunchtime.'  
Alfred offered him a warm, knowing smile and reached out to pat him on the arm.  
'Very well. Just let me know if you change your mind Sir. Master Bruce ends up quite unwell during his detoxes, even if they never do last. One gets no medals for being a martyr, Master Roy.'  
Returning Alfred's smile with an awkward one of his own, Roy escaped back upstairs before the butler could even try to press the subject further.

 

Damian was just about to leave Jason's bathroom, dressed and ready to go in search of food when Roy Harper came back through the door. Plonking the tray of breakfast down on the table next to the window seat, he then promptly belly flopped onto Jason's bed with a groan.  
'Harper?'   
Cocking an eyebrow, Damian looked over at his older brother who was sat in said window seat with a concerned frown. 'Todd is this also a 'none of that talk' situation?'  
Chuckling, Jason shot his brother a fond look before creeping over to Roy, dragging the duvet with him. Promptly throwing it over his prone form Jason knelt down and tucked a lock of hair behind Roy's ear.  
'Hey buddy, how ya feeling?'  
'M'kay. Got Dicked. Don't wanna person no more you can't make me.'

Snorting, Jason clambered up to lie on top of he blankets, totally and completely focused on Roy, who just looked so fed up.  
'Okay? So what d'ya want to be instead?'  
'A pineapple.'   
Jason wrinkled his nose at this and stuck out his tongue in disgust. A small smile tugged at Roy's lips and he flicked his partner's nose in response.  
'Fine. Ima gonna be a Ribena berry.'  
Grinning, Jason nodded and waved enthusiastically.  
'Hello Ribena berry. I'm Jason. How are you today?'  
Damian shook his head at the nonsense completely and utterly confused.  
'Is a Ribena berry not a blackcurrant?'  
'I'm a Ribena berry!' Roy reiterated with a firm nod and Jason just laughed harder. It put Damian on edge more than his brother's rages. He'd seen his older brother angry, he'd never really seen him laugh before, not like this anyway.  
'Tt. I am sorry but I am failing to decipher who the voice of reason is in this relationship of yours Todd?'  
'Bruce!'  
'Oliver!'  
Roy and Jason said in unison. Each speaking the name of their estranged father figure before starting laughing again, and Damian was totally done.  
What a ridiculous answer. How on earth could Bruce and Oliver be those twos voice of reason?  
They hardly had healthy father/son relationships.

Sighing, the boy shook his head and decided to concentrate on eating his fruit salad. Ignoring the slurping sounds that he really didn't want to think too much about, he eyed the forgotten pancakes.  
'Brother of mine? If you are hungry might I suggest eating your pancakes? Last time I checked cannibalism was illegal!'  
There was a rustle of covers, and suddenly Jason appeared in his line of vision, being manoeuvred into a chair by Roy.  
'You gotta eat, Jaybird. I'm enough of a failure without messing up looking after you too.' Roy grumbled.   
A hand reached out and caught his bicep.  
Frowning, Roy looked from it, to Jason, who was looking at him with wet eyes.  
'None of that talk Roy, remember? We don't say that stuff because it ain't true. Did you manage to eat?'  
Damian cocked his head and watched the conversation with renewed interest. These two seemed to be on a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute they were joking about, then eating each other's faces and now had swung around to deep and meaningful again. It was hard to keep up.

Roy worried his lip before nodding slightly, shooting a glance at Damian.   
'Yeah. I ate some toast. There was jelly, I don't eat jelly anymore. Dick got me jelly.'  
Swallowing a mouthful of pancake, Jason shook his head and lifted a hand to cup Roy's cheek.  
'Hey? Hey! Look at me?'  
Roy sighed and lifted his eyes to look at Jason.  
'You ain't a failure. You're the strongest guy I know. Stronger than Superman. You're my Harper and I trust you.'  
Nodding slightly, Roy smiled and nuzzled into the hand on his cheek with a melancholy hum.  
'Love you too, asshole.'  
Damian watched and listened silently, taking the dynamics in. Jason said that he trusted Roy but Roy had said that he loved him too. Watching Roy pour himself a coffee, Damian collected his tea and sipped at it pensively.   
Was 'I trust you' his brother's way of saying 'I love you'?   
Come to think of it he'd never heard him say that he loved anyone, could he love someone?   
Yes, yes his brother could.  
Damian could tell by the way he shot concerned looks over at Roy, the way he had spoken to him, making sure he was okay. Maybe he couldn't bring himself to say the 'L' word. It made sense? After all, Jason struggled to build and maintain relationships, everyone knew that, trust was a huge issue for him and he struggled to connect with other people. In some ways, he made Damian look like a social butterfly.  
Observing his brother finishing off his pancakes, Damian frowned and shook his head. No, no being concerned about Roy and making sure he was okay couldn't mean that he loved him. After all, hadn't his brother been doing the exact same thing to him from the moment he'd stepped into the principle's office?

'Yo, okay there kid?'   
Suddenly jolted out of his reverie Damian looked up at Roy and nodded, a frown still deeply set on his face.  
'Indeed. Might we play that game with the ball again, Harper?'  
Roy looked confused for a moment before his entire face lit up.  
'You mean football? Sure! You gots a ball here kid?'  
Oh.  
Damian's lips tugged down a little and he shook his head, he'd forgotten about needing a ball. Before his sadness could settle though, Jason was up and foraging around his belongings like a thing possessed. Just as Damian was about to demand an explanation for his behaviour, Jason skipped back over and placed a different ball in his hand and a weapon. Todd beamed down at him in a way that reminded Damian of Titus when he brought him back a stick.  
'Todd, I know you think that you are making sense but you are really not.'  
Damian tried to explain to his over excited brother. Examining the weapon he was mildly surprised that one existed in this room without suspicious stains.  
'Baseball. I liked Baseball at your age.' Jason grinned waving with some sort of weird glove on, until something obviously crossed his mind and he looked away again. 'I haven't played since-'  
Nodding in understanding, Damian looked back down at the weapon and the ball.  
'Could you teach me, Todd?'

Not half an hour later, the trio were outside playing a haphazard attempt at baseball. Roy acting as a pitcher, while Damian batted and Jason was the catcher. The morning was warming up nicely, so discarded items of clothing formed bases, reminding Roy and Jason of the hours spent playing the game as kids. Damian was pleasantly surprised to discover that the bat was not, in fact, a weapon but a tool in which to hit the ball as far away from Todd as possible. He had to admit it was rather enjoyable to hit the ball, before running as fast as he could to beat his brother to last 'base' before Todd could catch it and hit the base with the ball.  
Jason still wasn't a hundred percent, multiple times Damian had to call out his name when his mind had wandered off to get him back into the game. He didn't get overly cross with him though, as much as it was frustrating when his brother's attention wandered. After seeing his brother breakdown like last night he had a renewed insight, it must be awfully frustrating for your mind to race like that, never mind the hallucinations he knew his brother experienced from time to time. His family thought he didn't know about the hallucinations, he'd seen the moron sat on his own listening to nothing before now, did they think him stupid?

'You can't play with just three.'  
Stopping their game, the trio turned to blink at Tim who was stood with his hands in his pockets watching them. How long had he been there for?  
Worrying his bottom lip, he shot an apologetic look towards Jason and the pair seemed to have a non verbal conversation, before Jason nodded and motioned to Damian.  
'The brat could use a team mate, Timmers.'  
Damon frowned and looked over at Jason, then back at Tim again. Whatever had gone on between the two, his brothers seemed to have made up. All without a single word being uttered.  
Tim gave him this look that almost seemed like an apology and a smile that Damian took to mean 'can I?'  
Damian wasn't overly sure.   
Drake had been insufferable and had treated Todd appallingly, when all he needed in the end was a hug. He also had not been overly compassionate towards himself.   
Harper and Todd sometimes found it hard to express themselves. He had observed that sometimes, when they were worried about something, it comes out wrong. Was that also the case with Drake? Or was it just the case with psychotics and addicts? 

Kicking the dirt about beneath his converse, Damian pondered over all the new information he had been provided with before nodding slowly.  
'Very well. If Drake can be trusted to behave in a civilised manner.'  
Jason snorted and shook his head in amusement.  
Lifting his eyes from his own converse, Tim smiled weakly and removed his hands from his pockets.  
'I'll try. So, wanna kick some butt Demon?'  
'I'd rather carry on playing baseball if that is quite alright by you Drake? We may spar later.'  
Tim blinked before rolling his eyes and picking up the bat.  
'I meant winning the game doofus!'

Despite Damian's reservations about including Drake, he proved to be an asset. He seemed to hold a similar level of experience and skill at the game that Todd did and the two were more than a match for each other. Damian found it a lot easier to make it all the way around with Tim batting after him, Jason may be good at fielding but Tim was also talented at hitting the ball in the opposite direction that his brother anticipated.  
Eventually they switched roles with Roy and Jason batting. The sun was now blisteringly hot and high in the sky but no one noticed. Time went merrily by until Alfred appeared with a tray of sandwiches and a jug of lemonade.  
'Might I suggest you call half time sirs and come out of the sun before you all come to me with heat stroke?'  
Laughing, Jason smiled and nodded before slinging an arm around Roy and walking them up to the porch for lunch.  
Damian followed behind Tim in awe.  
Todd was like a different person. So far they had gone an entire morning without a single argument or random bought of rage. He had never, ever seen his brother be at home and smile like he was right now. He hoped he could see Todd smile more often, he thought that he would quite like that to happen.

The four boys quickly devoured the tray of sandwiches and washed them down with the lemonade.  
Looking around him, Damian quirked an eyebrow at Tim.  
'Where is Grayson?'  
Jason obviously bristled at this and became very interested in his lemonade.  
Noticing this reaction, Tim chewed his mouthful of sandwich thoughtfully before shooting the trio a rather wary look.  
'He erm, he's gone to look at schools. Dick was rather upset by how Roy spoke to him this morning. Even if he did make some valid points.'  
'Huh.'   
Damian glanced over at Jason, expecting the angry outburst he had been waiting for all day but instead, his brother seemed to count to ten before rising to his feet and sauntering off inside.  
'Jaybird?' Roy called after him only to be waved off by his distracted partner.  
'I gotta go.'  
'Well, yes Todd, that is quite obvious. Where exactly are you going?'  
Throwing a look over his shoulder, Jason just smiled and gave his little brother a wink.  
'I'm going to go to town. I need to get something. What we saw yesterday.'  
Damian's eyes widened slightly before he carefully schooled his expression to one more neutral.  
'Very well.' He mumbled, before selecting another cheese salad sandwich and munching on it as if the entire thing was settled.

Tim watched Jason leave apprehensively, before looking over at Roy and seemingly doing the silent talking thing again, because Roy just sighed and shook his head.  
'Contrary to popular belief around here, Jason is actually capable of going into town and not burning Gotham to the ground.'  
Tim just carried on staring.  
'Okay, okay! He hasn't done it for a real long time and to be honest? I think he's all mayhemed out after Europe and Grayson, 'Kay? 'Kay.'  
Tim didn't seem overly convinced but went back to sipping his lemonade regardless.  
'If he's not back in 3 hours I'm going after him.'  
'Suit yourself.' Roy grumbled, throughly fed up with the wrapping Jason up in cotton wool routine.  
Damian just smiled away to his sandwich. To an outsider they probably thought he was hearing things like his brother did, actually, judging by the look Drake was giving him, probably was actually a certainty.  
'The fuck them' protocol was not only effective but actually rather fun to put into motion it seemed.  
'No need to worry. Todd will only need 2 hours to complete his task.'


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a filler chapter really?
> 
> Jason and Damian plans starts to be revealed.

Dick arrived back not long after dinner, dog tired after trailing around trying to find a suitable school for Damian. There were plenty of very good, well established schools that produced good grades but none seemed to run any different to Gotham Academy.   
Dick didn't just want to ship his brother off to another school and have the exact same experience.  
He'd even gone as far as Metropolis to look at schools there.   
None seemed to be able to answer Dick's question about improving Damian's social skills to a level he was satisfied with.  
He had nothing, zilch and no idea what else to do?  
It seemed to be the running theme of the last few days. However, after driving around alone, Dick had wondered if his own anger had been what had hindered him from making the right moves?

After speed eating the leftovers of dinner, he plodded into the Den looking for his siblings and Roy.  
Damian was lying on the floor with school books spread out, chewing absentmindedly on his pen with a carefree air.   
Frowning, Dick watched his little brother willingly sitting down to do school work and wandered over.  
Raising an eyebrow, he realised it was work for the next grade up.  
'Hey Little D. Why are you studying?'  
Damian glanced up at his brother before shrugging and going back to his work.  
'I want to get a head start before school.'  
Dick closed his eyes and shook his head sadly, feeling even more useless than he already did.  
'Dami, I'm sorry but, we're still trying to find the right school for you.'  
'I know.' Damian said with a smile before going back to his books. 'Todd got these for me when we went to town. He's sorting it all out.'  
'Is he now?'  
'Hmm hmm.' Damian hummed his agreement before pausing and looking up at Dick. Without a word he scrambled up to his feet and wrapped his arms around his rather bemused brother. 'I believe I have not thanked you for trying and that was ungrateful of me. I apologise Grayson. Baseball has cathartic properties it seems and now I see you were trying to be a good brother. You want to protect us, like father does.'  
With that, Damian pulled away and settled back down to study, content now that he had apologised to his brother. It was easier once everything starts to fall into place. 

Dick just blinked, before nodding and moving to head back out to search the rest of the manor to check on everyone else.  
'Harper and Drake are doing things with computers in the Cave. They hiss if you try to draw away their attention, so I would leave them be. It's something to do with a case Drake is working on and Harper knew the codes, apologies but I lost interest after that.'  
Humming, Dick smiled down at his little brother fondly.  
'Okie dokie. Thanks Dami, for the hug. I am glad we are friends again.'  
Turning a page, Damian raised his eyebrows, ankles crossing in the air behind him.  
'Hmm, that is very grandiose of you Grayson. We are merely the good acquaintances we were before.'  
Chuckling, Dick shook his head and left Damian to it because what harm could a bit of work do?

Walking up the grand staircase, Dick cocked his head and listened to the sound of Jason's music coming from his room. After fighting him tooth and nail on it all day yesterday, his brother seemed to now be willingly spending his time in there.  
Dick stood for a moment outside his brother's door, trying to work out what he was going to say but coming up with nothing overly convincing. Deciding that it was best to just knock and then crash and burn rather than get caught hanging outside his brother's room like a freak he knocked on the door.  
'Yup?'  
Taking the grunted response as permission to enter, Dick stepped into the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Jason was sat at his old school desk, lamp focused on the broken vase he was trying to glue back together. He was actually doing a fairly decent job, and Dick couldn't help but admire how easily his brother could match the patterns and glue the pieces together.  
He would be lying if Dick claimed to not notice the evening's medication in the waste paper basket.

'Hey Little Wing, how are you doing?'  
Jason lifted his head to look at him before going back to his work.  
'Oh ya know, making tin foil hats, talking to the fairies. I even managed to squeeze in a bit of rocking in a corner before lunch, you?'  
Yeah, Jason was still majorly pissed off.  
Sighing, Dick crossed the room and pulled up a footstool to sit at the desk with his brother, who observed him warily before going back to gluing.  
'Need any help?' Dick asked hopefully, Jason glanced up again before going back to fixing a particularly tricky piece.  
'Nope. Ima pretty experienced in fixing shit I broke.'  
Nodding, Dick worried his lip and watched his brother for a few long moments.  
'I guess, I'm to blame for the broken vase too?'  
Jason shrugged his mouth and scrutinised the smashed pieces for a matching one. Taking the motion as agreement, Dick picked up the piece Jason was looking for and handed it to him.  
'In Japan, they fix broken things with gold. The philosophy is to show an objects history instead of disguising it.'  
'I am aware of Kintsukuroi what's your point, Grayson?' Jason huffed, taking the piece gently from his brother's fingers. 'Ming is Chinese, Numbnuts.'  
'I know.' 

Helping to hold the main part of the vase still so Jason could glue the piece to it, he smiled when Jason didn't tell him to let go.  
'Well, we both are to blame for breaking the vase.'  
'Yup, you mentioned that already.'  
'Maybe the kids at Gotham Academy aren't the only ones guilty of being ignorant.'   
Jason lifted his eyes, intrigued by what his brother was saying but still guarded.  
'I just wanted to protect you, Jason. By doing that, I may have let your issues, recent events overshadow who you are. I'm sorry.' Dick spoke softly, mildly surprised that in the moment he seemed to find exactly the right words to say.  
Jason was silent for a long time, before selecting another piece of broken vase and handing it to him with a shy smile.  
'I know. I'm sorry for being a jackass. I should have talked to you about how I felt about everything. Instead, I just got angry. Being angry, I couldn't see that you were just trying to help.'  
'Friends?' Dick asked hopefully, spreading a good dollop of glue on his piece and sticking it into place, it was fiddly, until another pair of fingers steadied it.  
'Brothers.' Jason replied, a blush just visible across his nose before he frowned and looked back over at Dick.

'I don't get what this has to do with Kintsukuroi?'  
Smiling, Dick dug into his jean's pocket and brought out a small pot of gold paint and a couple of tiny paint brushes.   
'It's not lacquer mixed with gold dust but close enough right? I thought'   
Breaking off, Dick looked at Jason's blank expression and sighed dejectedly.   
'Never mind, it's dumb.'  
Jason clearly thought about this, eyes darting from the paint, to Dick, to the vase and back again.  
'You thought we could paint the cracks gold. The vase we broke will be fixed but the cracks will enhance its beauty rather than hide what happened. Like us? Me and you, being brothers?'  
Jason struggled to find the words to express himself, and ended up just muttering away to in frustrated Spanish.   
Dick's face lit up and he nodded vigorously, selecting another piece only to put it down when Jason shook his head.  
'Yeah, like us.'  
Nodding, Jason slapped another piece out of Dick's hand and gave him the correct one.  
'Okay.'  
The word was uttered so quietly Dick almost didn't catch it. Deciding not to make a big deal out of it, he just nudged his brother and motioned towards the vase.  
'Come on, you're slacking.'  
'No. You're slacking Dickface.'

The evening wore on and the vase was finally finished. The brothers decided that it would be best to wait for half an hour or so before painting the cracks gold, so took to just star gazing out of Jason's window.   
It was then that the pills in the waste paper basket came to Dick's attention. Sighing, he leant back against the window and watched his little brother pick glue off his hands thoughtfully.  
'Why have you stopped taking your meds this time, Jay?'  
He posed the question carefully. Tone soft and casual.  
Jason paused, before carrying on picking at the glue on his hands.  
'They make me feel sick.'  
Sighing again, Dick shook his head and looked back outside at the night sky.  
'Anxiety makes you feel sick, Jay. Not eating properly makes you feel sick.'  
Jason scowled before letting go of his hands and looking out at the stars too.  
'I know that.'  
Pausing, Jason closed his eyes and pulled his legs up to his chest, chin resting in his knees.  
'I dunno what they are. They lie to me about what they are.'  
'Who lied to you, Little Wing?'

Jason just shook his head and ducked his head down into his knees and Dick knew he wouldn't get an answer to that question. Probably because his Little Wing didn't have one, other than admitting to a paranoia he probably didn't overly understand himself.  
'Jay? Jason?'   
Crawling across the window seat, Dick reached out and stroked his thumb across a hand he could just about reach. His brother may not understand the cause of this delusion but he had a sneaky suspicion that he did.  
'Jay you do know that I'd never let anyone give you Haldol right?'  
There was silence and Jason's shoulders shuddered. It took Dick a moment to realise that his brother was crying.  
'F-feel sick.'  
Shaking his head, Dick pressed his lips to his brother's hair and shushed him gently.  
'Hush, Little Wing it's okay. I know Haldol made you feel sick, I know you don't like it. I'd never let anyone give it you. Not ever again. Never, ever!'

'Jaybird?'  
Gasping, Dick looked up to see Roy stood in the doorway, brow furrowed in concern.  
'Grayson what have you done?'  
Sniffing, Jason lifted his head and looked over at Roy, wiping away the tears on the back of his hand.  
'N-nothing. I'm fine.'  
'Yeah, no. That's not fine Jaybird.'   
Crouching down, Roy reached up and stroked Jason's damp cheek, eyes searching.   
'What's the matter?'  
Ignoring Roy, Jason glanced over at Dick warily, who looked uncomfortable now Roy was in the room.  
'Dickie?'  
Jumping at the nickname Jason so rarely used nowadays, Dick looked over at his brother and smiled in response.  
'Only you do it. No one else.'  
Dick tried to work out what he was saying ,before the penny dropped and he nodded.  
'Yes, yes Little Wing, I promise. Only me.'  
'No Haldol? You promise? No lying!'  
Smiling, Dick reached over and kissed his brother's forehead and quirked an eyebrow at him.  
'No Haldol. When I come back we'll paint the cracks gold, yeah?'  
Jason gave a small nod and smiled weakly, uncurling slightly from his ball.  
'Yeah. Kintsukuroi?'  
'Kintsukuroi.' Dick replied with a soft expression and he was gone, closing the door behind him.

'You guys made up then Jaybird?' Roy questioned, climbing up to take Dick's empty spot on the window seat.  
Gazing off after his brother thoughtfully, Jason nodded before motioning towards the finished vase.  
'We fixed the vase together because we both broke it, not just me. We're gonna paint the cracks gold to make them beautiful. Kintsukuroi.'  
Nodding, Roy studied the mended Ming vase on the desk and smiled. He knew there was some sort of metaphor there that Dick and Jason had come up with, but either way the pair seemed to finally be agreeing on something which was good, he supposed.  
'Jaybird?'  
'Hmm?'  
'What's Dick going on about Haldol for?'  
Jason stilled, looking across at Roy who was sat where Dick had been, he sighed and looked out of the window wistfully.  
'I don't like it.'  
Frowning, Roy cocked his head and reached out to hold Jason's hand.  
'Haldol's Haloperidol right? I've, I've never seen you take that?'

Jason nodded slowly and visibly tried to swallow down a shudder.  
'In Arkham. To calm me down, they'd give it to me in an injection. I didn't like it.'   
Jason inhaled sharply and wrapped his arms tightly around himself.  
'I felt sick. I felt dizzy and the world spun around and around. It was too hot and everything itched like my skin was crawling. I couldn't stop shaking. The problem was, I felt so drowsy, my throat so tight, I couldn't speak! Even if I could, I couldn't remember English, only Spanish. I just ended up drooling on my pillow.'  
Letting out a sob he'd failed to hide, Jason turned away when Roy tried to reach out to comfort him.  
'Dick, he, he spoke up for me. He showed them the rash and told them not to give me anymore. He made them call the doctor. They used Lorazepam after that. That was better.'  
Roy nodded slowly, wrapping his arms around his partner he ducked his head down to kiss him gently. Jason returned the kiss, hands reaching up to clutch his shirt.  
It sounded like Jason was describing an allergic reaction that almost went unnoticed, if Dick hadn't told the staff what is brother could not.   
A pretty serious malpractice that if it had involved someone society looked kindly upon, would've been front page news.  
Jason's time in Arkham was a period in his life which no one knew anything about. In fact, the lost days between his resurrection and becoming a crime lord were better known by his family and friends than what happened in Arkham.   
Dick was the only person other than Jason who knew what happened. It was him who had shut down Arkham's files after his brother absconded, and even denied Bruce access to it.   
Before Roy could even call Jason Todd his friend, there had been Dick, fighting Jason's corner but going largely, unnoticed.

'Little Wing?'  
Breaking away, Jason swallowed and peered at Dick through his eyelashes. His brother was back holding the meds pot and a glass of water. Taking the first pill out, he handed it over with a hopeful smile.  
'Paroxetine, Jay. The other ones Zopiclone. Obviously you don't have to take it now, I suppose, if you're sleeping okay, you don't have to take it at all, but it'll'  
'Help the nightmares. I know.' Jason mumbled, before taking the Paroxetine and making a grabby hand for the water.  
Chuckling, Dick handed it over and set the sedative down next to his brother's bed in case he needed it later.  
'Are we going to finish this vase Jay?' Dick asked looking over at the desk.  
Jason sucked his bottom lip anxiously and glanced over at Roy who just shrugged.  
'If you wanna? I just came up to sleep. I can handle a desk light in the corner, just keep the bickering down yeah?'  
Chuckling, Jason nodded and grinned over at his older brother.  
'He he, promise not to call him Dickface.'  
'That would be a first!' Dick grumbled, sitting down on the footstool again and selecting a paintbrush. 'So how we doing this?'  
'Find a crack and paint it gold Dickie, it ain't rocket science.'   
Nodding, Dick dipped his brush into the paint and got to it, flicking a look up at Jason every so often. His little brother was concentrating so hard at keeping the paint in the cracks he'd sucked in his bottom lip again. Dick marvelled at how many different emotions he could express just by sucking on a bottom lip. Smiling to himself, Dick realised how well Jason was maintaining his focus, how calm he was.  
Like his older brother, time apart to reevaluate had done the world of good. 

'Damian said you'd sorted his schooling out?' Dick pressed, cautiously, tracing a particularly thin crack carefully. Jason grunted and dipped his brush into the paint.  
'Maybe?'  
'You gonna share with the class?'  
Smirking, Jason lowered his brush and cocked an eyebrow.  
'That's a terrible pun, Dickie.'  
'Pffft, whatever Jay, you love them just as much as I do.' Dick shot back with a boyish grin and Jason chuckled and went back to his painting.  
'Puns are fun.'   
Sucking in his lip again, he stole a glance at his brother and shook his head. '  
Can we talk about this tomorrow? I don't wanna fight, I like this, it's nice. No more talking about important stuff. It's been making my head hurt all day.'  
Dick carried on painting before nodding slowly.  
'Yeah. No more fighting, not tonight, you're right. This is far more fun and yes, the important stuff's making my head hurt too.'  
Jason grinned and glanced up from his painting, eyes dancing with mischief.  
'No stealing my chill pills!'  
Dick barked out a laugh and Roy grumbled something about it being easier to sleep when they were at each other's throats from the bed.

Jason smirked, glancing over at Roy fondly before going back to his painting again.  
'He knows you better than I do.' Dick observed, unable to hide the jealous tone in his voice.  
Jason shook his head and tapped Dick's shin lightly with his foot.  
'Shut the fuck up, Dickie. He knows me as a friend, a lover does. You know me as a brother. It's different. I didn't know it was a competition?'  
Dick looked over at Roy, now sleeping soundly and sighed wearily.  
'No, it's not. You don't think I'm useless?'  
'Annoying? Hell yes. Impulsive? Yup. Makes stupid ass decisions? Oh yes. Useless?'  
Glancing up, Jason offered him a half smile.  
'Dickie if you were useless, I'd have kicked your ass years ago.'

Dawn was just breaking over Gotham when Tim and Damian were extracted from their beds by a giggling Roy.  
'Come on, quick, you gotta see this!'  
Plodding after the excitable red head, both boy's rubbed at tired eyes and silently made a pact with one another to kill him.  
'Harper, what is this about?' Damian demanded only to be shushed, rather rudely in his opinion.  
'Sssh, we gotta be quiet!' Roy whispered, before opening the door to Jason's room and ushering them inside.  
Tim blinked and looked at Damian, who looked just as bemused as he did.  
'I, erm, I need coffee before I can handle this.' Tim mumbled quietly and Damian just rolled his eyes.

The completed Ming vase was sat on the desk, it's golden cracks shining in the morning sun.  
Dick and Jason were slumped over the desk, fast asleep.   
Gold paint sparkled on fingers which still held brushes. What really tugged at the heart strings was how they had fallen asleep facing each other, as if they had been whispering secrets. Dick's hand resting over his little brother's protectively.  
'Ah, the marvels a bit of glue and some gold paint can do.'   
Gasping the trio spun around to see Alfred stood behind them, a soft smile on his face.  
'Yes, the vase looks even more breathtaking than before it was broken. I can see why it has captured an audience.'   
Looking back at the three surprised faces, Alfred motioned out into the hallway.  
'Come Young Sirs, shall we go find some breakfast? I believe it best if Masters Richard and Jason are left to sleep. It must have taken to the early hours to give us that beautiful vase.'  
Escorting the boys quietly out, Alfred glanced back at the sleeping brothers before closing the door softly behind him.

After breakfast, the trio lifted their heads from where they were watching TV in the best living room to the sound of raised voices.  
'You are completely insane!' Dick bellowed, followed by a door slamming.  
'Come on Dickface! You know it's the only way!' Jason roared back, and another door slammed.  
'My, my two whole hours without a disagreement, it must be a miracle.' Alfred announced with an oddly dramatic air, before carrying on with his dusting as if nothing had happened.  
Damian, Tim and Roy looked at each other as two pairs of feet came stomping down the stairs.  
'You can't teach children Jason! You can't just decide to do stuff like that!'  
'I can teach children! I'm being serious.'  
'You're delusional!'  
'Not about this I'm not!'  
Without so much as a hello, the pair of warring brothers fell into the best living room, red faced and beyond frustrated with the other. They carried on with their yelling match and Roy made to intervene before Tim placed a hand in his shoulder.  
'Leave them to shout it out. It's how Robins work.'  
Frowning, Roy looked from Damian who nodded his agreement, to Dick and Jason stood having an intellectual slanging match, not entirely sure how this was a good thing?  
Sighing, Tim face palmed before pointing his brother's out like exhibits at the zoo.  
'The young Robin makes his argument. The eldest listens to his point before countering it with logic of his own. It is how nature settles scores.'

Storming out of the room again with an exasperated 'argh!', Jason returned with a satchel and dug out a wad of papers and slammed them down onto the coffee table.  
Tim switched off the TV.  
'Read it and weep Dickhead! I am a qualified English teacher! Those are the deeds to a warehouse in the Bowery that is more than suitable to convert into a school.'  
Frowning, Dick picked up the paperwork and shook his head in disbelief before looking up at Jason's victorious smirk.  
'How? You did all this behind my back? Jason!'  
Throwing his hands out to his sides, Jason rolled his eyes dramatically.  
'Yes! You wouldn't listen so I just did it myself. Nothing new there. Well, except my degree, I got that for fun ages ago.'   
Dick shook his head and placed the papers back on the table.  
'Jason you can't teach children. You just can't.'  
'Oh come on! Really? Damian is hardly a wilting violet Dick. I can teach him, I know I can.'  
'But- but he can't just learn English?'  
'I have other teachers in mind. I had a quick whip round yesterday and all seem willing to teach a Wayne kid.'  
Dick swallowed and looked back at the paperwork with a look of pure dread.  
'Do not tell me you've got the Rogues Gallery in on this too?'  
Jason shrugged and offered his older brother a wink.  
'Only the rehabilitated ones? Like having actual, active villains teaching kids would just be wrong, Dude!'

Roy watched Dick stare at his brother in stunned silence for what seemed like forever.  
'This is - I can't compute this right now.'  
'Would it help if I say I plan on borrowing that Colin kid to cover the social skills thing?'  
'No! Jesus Jason!'   
Shaking his head, Dick stormed out of the living room slamming the door behind him.  
'No! Learn the meaning of the word Jason! No! No! NO! This isn't happening!'  
The room fell silent and Jason blinked after his brother before turning to Damian with a huge grin on his face.  
'I think he's starting to come around to the idea.'  
Tutting, Damian shook his head before reaching for the remote and switching the TV back on.  
Tim smirked up at Roy and Roy finally thought he understood.  
Yes, Dick and Jason were fighting, again.  
This was different though, they were listening to one another instead of just blindly shouting!like they had been.

'A warehouse? Really? That's where you skipped off to yesterday afternoon? How did you even have the money to do that Jay!' Tim questioned, raising an intrigued eyebrow.  
Grinning like the devil, Jason made his way over to the couch and forced himself in between Tim and Roy, until Roy gave up and hauled the asshole onto his lap.  
'Trust Fund Timmy! Wasn't doing anything else? I thought B might have an aneurysm if Nigma comes to the manor to teach the kid maths.'  
'No kidding!' Tim scoffed, shaking his head before narrowing his eyes at Damian. 'You knew about this?'  
Shrugging, Damian merely clicked his tongue and motioned to the documentary he was watching.   
'Yes? Apart from the Rogues, that's new. Now cease your jabbering I am trying to watch this.'  
Sighing, Tim shook his head and officially gave up.  
'Dick isn't going to agree to this.'  
Jason's grin grew and he ruffled Tim's hair with a chuckle.  
'Ah, but I have already won you lot over haven't I?'  
Tim scowled and was about to react when Roy wrapped his arms around Jason and gave him a kiss to the temple.  
'Alright, enough of the crowing. Come on!'   
Shoving Jason's heavy ass off of his lap, Roy grabbed his hand and hauled him out of the living room.  
'Where are we going? Let go!'  
'A mandatory walk Jaybird! We're going for a nice walk around the gardens, have a smoke and find some chill before you wind everyone up enough to start a war.'

Alfred finished his dusting and watched Jason grump as he toed on his shoes to stomp after Roy. A small smile crept across his face and he went off in search of the eldest Wayne boy.  
He found Dick hanging upside down from the top of the fridge, eating Lucky Charms in a sulk.  
'He's driving me to distraction Alf!' Dick grumbled around a mouthful of cereal.  
Arching an eyebrow, Alfred motioned towards the kitchen table.  
'As I with young boys who refuse to eat like the gentlemen I brought them up to be.'  
Dick swallowed and looked from Alfred, to himself before sighing and clambering down. Stropping over to the table, he sat down before shoving another spoonful of Lucky Charms into his mouth.  
'I don't know what to do Alfred?'  
The old butler merely smiled and patted the young man on the shoulder before wandering back out of the kitchen without another word.  
'Just once could you not be cryptic and just tell me what to do?' Dick grumbled under his breath, thinking back to the gold paint he'd just so happened to find in the glove compartment of his car yesterday.   
Eating another mouthful of cereal, Dick noticed the school books Jason had given Damian on the breakfast bar.  
Getting up, he wandered over and flicked through them, reading the questions Jason had set and Damian's, correct, answers.   
Maybe Jason could teach Damian? In truth, he had been the only person so far who'd said that they could teach his little brother.  
Burying his head in his hands with a groan, Dick wished for the millionth time that someone would just tell him what the right thing to do was.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is more of a continuation of the last chapter?
> 
> Next chapter it's Damian's first day at his new 'school' ...

The sun was only just starting to rise when Dick stumbled downstairs in a daze the next morning. Pouring himself a bowl of cereal, he flipped on the coffee machine, making sure to make enough for Tim to at least have two cups to keep the caffeine withdrawal at bay.  
Patrol that night had been long and hard.   
Not in activity. Thankfully Gotham was quiet at the moment but Dick couldn't stop fretting about Damian and Jason and this whole schooling nonsense. It just wasn't going to work and Bruce was going to kill him when he found out.  
In the end he had ditched the others to 'patrol' on his own. Patrol mainly consisted of wandering the docks aimlessly before ending up sat on a rooftop gazing at the stars.  
A movement outside caught his attention.  
Everyone except Jason had been out last night. Dick thought he'd be the only one up at this hour. Frowning, he peered out onto the back porch to see Roy leant against the railing cigarette in hand.

'Morning.' Dick greeted awkwardly as he joined his old friend, passing him a cup of coffee. He'd learnt from his faux pas the first morning and had decided that offering him breakfast resulted in angst and sulking. He wasn't overly sure why but Dick rolled with it and resorted to just making Roy coffee. Caffeine and nicotine seemed to be what the man craved on waking rather than actual food.  
Lifting his head, Roy gave him a tired smile and accepted the coffee with a nod of gratitude.  
'Thanks.'  
'No problem. You're up early?'  
'Up early suggests that I've been to bed.' Roy replied with a smirk, taking a sip of coffee he closed his eyes and sighed heavily. 'I've just seen Jason off. Will go sleep in a bit.'  
Dick blinked silently for a few moments. Anxiety pooling in his chest, filling up his lungs like icy water.  
'Jason? What?'  
Snorting, Roy finished his cigarette before handing a small device over to Dick, who took it with a frown.   
'This? This is-'  
'A GPS location for Jason. He stuck one in his boot before he left.' Roy explained blankly, as if he were merely reading off a shopping list. Dick stared at the little red dot wandering around a map for downtown Gotham in astonishment. Shaking his head, he shot Roy a very wary look.  
'Jason agreed not to go on patrol last night and actually stayed put. Now he gives me this? What's he up too?'  
'Call it meeting you half way? He's trying to please you, Richard.'

Picking up on the disapproving tone in Roy's voice, Dick watched Roy wander away to sit down on the porch steps with a heavy sigh, coffee in hand.  
'You don't know where he is?'  
Chuckling, Roy sipped at his coffee and closed his eyes wearily.  
'Nope. I know he's gone to start planning renovating his warehouse school? He's only got until the 2nd week of August.' Pausing, Roy turned to look up at Dick with a small smile. 'I like to think our relationship is built on trust rather than suspicion and GPS locations.'  
Dick swallowed and looked down at the device held tightly in his hand, it was reassuring yes but, that wasn't what he wanted his and Jason's relationship to be either.  
He didn't miss Roy's smirk when he heard him place the device down on the window sill.  
Finishing off his coffee, Roy observed his friend for a moment. Dick and Jason's relationship was complicated, full of hurt and betrayal, more enemies, acquaintances at best than friends yet, still, somehow there was this undercurrent of trust. It's just neither of them trusted it enough to rely on it.  
In the end, Roy was just too dog tired to mince his words, so he just placed down his empty mug and studied his hands.  
'Jason's allergic to Haloperidol, isn't he?'  
Dick froze, all animation drained from him.  
Glancing around the porch, Roy wondered if he should be getting someone when he was suddenly hauled up to his feet and frog marched into the Manor's grounds.

Dick didn't speak a word, he just kept walking and walking, twisting the archer's arm behind his back painfully.  
Roy had very rarely seen his friend like this and in all honesty, it was terrifying.  
Finally, the pair reached the log pile behind Alfred's potting shed and Dick threw him roughly forwards.  
'How did you hack them?'  
'What?'   
Roy blinked in confusion before it clicked and he shook his head. Holding his hands out in surrender he stepped closer to Dick, who set his jaw threateningly.  
'No, no Dick you got it wrong! Jason told me? I heard you two talking about Haldol and I asked him about it and then he told me. God, I would never hack his Arkham files! Do you think that little of me?'  
Dick stared for a few long moments before sighing heavily and nodding slowly.  
'He told you he was allergic?'  
'Not outright no.'  
The death glare was back and Roy held up his hands again, cocking his head to try and look harmless.  
'He described it? Come on Dick, all of us know what an allergic reaction is? The rash, high temperature, his throat swelling. Jason had a reaction to the Haloperidol, didn't he?'  
Frowning Roy trailed off his explanation of innocence because if he didn't know better? Dick looked like he was about to cry.

Rubbing at his eyes with the heel of his hands, Dick glanced around for eavesdroppers before slipping to the ground. Letting out a shaky breath, he ran a hand down his face, looking rather ill.  
'I can't get that day out of my head. I thought he was going to die, Roy. I honestly thought he was dead.'  
Roy frowned and joined his friend on the floor, that seemed a little bit of an exaggeration for what sounded like a bog standard allergic reaction.  
Swallowing thickly, Dick looked up at Roy with wet eyes and shook his head fearfully.  
'Jason told you what he remembers and that's all he needs to know. What I tell you doesn't get repeated do you understand me, Roy Harper?'  
Roy found himself nodding dumbly, his worry about Dick now completely overtaking his mild concern about Jason's health.  
'Dick-'  
'They'd injected him with Haldol to calm him. He should have been observed closely. Vitals taken every 15 minutes but none of that happened. It was busy on the wing that night and they were understaffed. Jason was injected with a drug he'd never taken before and left alone in his cell. He was quiet, so in the rush, he got forgotten about.'  
Closing his eyes, tears fell silently down Dicks cheeks and Roy reached out to hold his hand.  
It was never good when a Robin cried silently.

'I almost walked past his cell, they told me he was asleep, but something made me open the cell door. I didn't know what had happened, I just saw that he was sick, really sick. God Roy he was so hot, I've never felt a fever like it. He could barely breathe. He held my hand. Jason never held my hand. He couldn't speak but eventually, I understood one word, socorro.'  
'Help.' Roy muttered in disbelief, squeezing his friend's hand. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like to find a loved one like that and then to keep it a secret all this time. Dick just nodded and took a deep shaky breath before carrying on with his story.  
' I ran. I ran all the way to the nurses station. A nurse tried to tell me he was just sedated and not to worry. I told him about the rash, physically dragged the nurse with me to show him. Jason wasn't just sedated, he was sick. When I got back to Jason he was still conscious, I showed the nurse the rash and asked him to call the doctor. Before he could do anything Jason slipped away and-'  
Inhaling sharply, Dick closed his eyes and shook the memory from his head.   
'After that Arkham let me see Jay as much as I liked. I can still waltz in there and they will do anything to appease me. Thing is, no amount of apologies or privileges will erase the fact that I had to stand there and watch my little brother be resuscitated.'

Roy nodded slowly, letting himself digest the knowledge that Jason wasn't just mildly intolerant to the drug.  
'You- Jesus. Richard you can't keep that a secret!'  
Shaking his head, Dick scowled at Roy, wiping tears away from his eyes.  
'Yes I can and I will. No one else needs to know. I can keep him safe Roy!'  
'I know, I'm not saying that you can't. What I'm saying is that you are not with Jason all the time? Haloperidol isn't just used on psych wards Dick? It's used during trauma to keep folks calm. In our line of work, how often does that happen? What if Jay had got seriously hurt? Alfred has Haldol in the Cave. I wouldn't blink at letting someone give it Jaybird to calm him? People need to know, Jason needs to know. Keeping this a secret could kill him.'  
Sighing, Roy held on tighter to his friend's hand when he tried to break free and caught his eye.  
'I get keeping his files locked down, Dickiebird. What happened at Arkham is Jason's business. You've done the same thing with mine from rehab but if something like that had happened? I'd want to know, wouldn't you?'  
'I don't want to upset Jay.' Dick explained, tears running down his cheeks again, fingers digging into the dirt.

Nodding, Roy placed a platonic kiss on his cheek before resting his forehead against raven hair.  
'That's not your call to make. You can't wrap Jason up in cotton wool and protect him from the big bad world, Dick. Fuck, you think I don't wish that I could just hide the world away from Jaybird? He's been through enough, he don't need anymore but Dick? Sheltering him, it doesn't make anything go away. By hiding stuff from him, doing things for Jason that he's quite capable of doing himself? You're removing his right to live the normal, happy life you crave for him. Sure, Jason will get upset, he might even go down hill, that's why we support him. Help him through that hurt to come out the other side. Give him that power back Dick, the ability to live his own life.'  
Pausing, Roy pulled away and offered Dick a half smile, who just gazed back at him dumbly.  
'Knowing could be a positive? What better way for him to fight his fear of medication if he knows no one will ever give him Haldol again. Not because you say so, but because it's medically dangerous to? Jaybird will have more trust in you if you allow him that power, than if you try to take it away in the name of his own safety. It's about autonomy Dick, don't you get it?'  
Dick was silent, staring straight ahead of him until tears began to flow again and he raised a shaky hand to wipe them away. He didn't want to hurt Jason, he never had, he just wanted to keep his brother safe. 

Jason reappeared just before dinner, dusty and grinning from ear to ear. Dick grumbled his disapproval, before concentrating on eating his meatloaf as if he'd never eaten it before when Alfred cocked an eyebrow at him.  
'Problem Dickie?'  
'Master Jason!'  
Lifting his eyes to look at the butler, Jason sighed before stabbing his mash potato with a scowl.  
'You know what Jason? You go ahead. It's your life but so much as a toe out of line, anyone gets hurt, there will be consequences.' Dick grumbled, not looking up from his meal. Tim looked at Damian who just shrugged before glancing over at Jason, who seemed to have forgotten how to function.  
'What?' Jason replied blankly, not overly trusting what he was hearing, eyes darting between Roy and his big brother questioningly.  
'You heard.'  
'Um, o-okay?'   
Frowning, Jason shook his head and played with his broccoli, not daring to look up for fear of what he would see in everyone's faces. His stomach lurched and he just couldn't stay in his seat any longer  
'I'm done. Thanks Alf.'   
The words came out a little forced and without further explanation, Jason was up and out of the dining room before anyone could say anything.  
'I'm done too.' Dick announced, placing down his cutlery, he shot an apologetic smile at Alfred before dashing off after his brother.

'What was that about?' Tim wondered out loud, sneakily reaching across to steal the last of Jason's meatloaf. Damian looked from Tim to Roy who was carrying on with his meal as if nothing untoward had happened.  
'Hmm, I believe someone has an agenda that they have not disclosed to the rest of the family.' Damian sneered, whilst some how managing to make stealing the mash potato off Dick's plate threatening.  
Roy paused mid chew before swallowing and smirking at the boy, claiming both of the absent Batboy's plates and depositing the contents on his own.  
'People in glasshouses, Brat. We all know you've been scheming with Jaybird this entire time,' He replied sweetly, his smirk firmly set in place. 'Am I part of the family now?'  
'No!' Damian spat, eyeing up Roy's plate with a sneer. 'You're more like the stray that follows either Grayson or Todd back home. Maybe if we stopped feeding you this habit would cease?'  
There was a hacking sound that almost sounded like laughter and the pair turned to see Tim trying to laugh whilst choking on his stolen meatloaf.  
'Then again, collecting strays does seem to be a running theme in this household. Chew your food Drake! Could you at least try to create an air of civility?' Damian scoffed with slight exasperation before finishing his meal when though another word. Pushing away his empty plate he declined Pennyworth's offer of desert, in favour of finding his absent brothers. Damian really did not want Grayson and Todd to fall out again, they'd only reached a truce 24 hours ago.  
He left the dining room to the chorus of Tim and Roy fighting over his share of the apple pie like vultures.

It took a fair while to track down his brothers. Neither of them were in their usual hiding places and Damian hated to admit it, but he was beginning to grow quite concerned. Poking his head through the gym door, just in case the two imbeciles had decided to fight it out like usual, Damian frowned when he spotted the light peeping out of the door which led to the pool.  
Grayson's voice could be heard over the lapping of recently disturbed water.   
'I'm sorry. I should have told you about the Hal-'  
'No. Leave it. I don't- thanks for telling me the truth yeah? Can I just say thanks and we leave it at that?'  
Todd's voice joined in, almost sounding like he was trying to hold back tears.   
Swallowing Damian, stepped through the door and snuck down the corridor, making sure to keep to the shadows.

The two brothers were sat on the pool side, damp and dripping from obviously doing a few lengths before deciding to talk. Dick had his hand resting on Jason's shoulder which, oddly he hadn't shaken off yet. The way he leant towards him, Damian almost thought it looked like Todd wanted to be touched, which was unheard of.  
'B is not going to like the idea of you teaching Damian, Jay. Never mind the rest. He will stop it. You know he will. I'm not trying to control you I-I just don't want you getting hurt again.' Dick confessed and the hand was finally shaken off.  
Droplets of water landed mere feet from Damian as Jason kicked at the water, watching the ripples with solemn eyes.  
'I know. Damian's a good kid. No, listen to me Dick, he is. I know what it's like to get written off, wanna know how many teachers flunked me just 'cause I had a bad attitude? How many said I could never be taught just 'cause I'm a street kid with a shitty upbringing? Folks like that talk that talk about ya, then why bother trying, y'get me?'  
'I'm a Romani Circus kid Jay, what do you think? Damian isn't the first of us lot to get a rotten deal.' Dick pressed, placing his hand back on Jason's shoulder.

Nodding, Jason reached up to hold it with a gentle smile, which in Damian's opinion didn't belong on his psychotic brother's face.  
'I know. That's why I did it Dick. I gots my GED in Arkham, never told ya is all. Once I was out I gots thinking about cycles and shit. What if every kid was just one damn caring adult away from being a success story huh? Like those kids in juvie at Arkham. I taught 'em and they thrived Dick. Kid's who could barely keep it together for one lesson and I taught 'em when everyone else had given up. I studied to become a teacher because of some damn fanciful dream. To save kids like me, ones who just need a chance. Like Bruce does.'  
Taking a sharp breath, Jason closed his eyes, shaking his head when Dick crouched down to coax him to look at him.  
'I got it and I know Dick, I know I'll be no good. I'm a screw up. I'm not what those kids deserve but then I saw Damian sat in that office. My little brother sat in same same spot I used to sit in, and shit Dick, I just saw it all cycling back around again. The only person who can break it is me and if that's until Dami goes to college or until B comes back and bursts a vessel, I'll teach him.'

Dick pursed his lips, nodding slowly he glanced in the direction Damian was hiding in, as if he knew full well that his little brother was there. The only sound was the dripping of water and the huffs of Jason's breathing.  
'Not everything I do is to piss you and B off, Dickie.'  
'Okay.'   
'Well, not saying anything about my education? That was to piss you all off. I ain't dumb. I know Bruce would be proud and shit but I don't want that. I wanted to hurt him. I'm his greatest failure remember.'  
Dick paused for a moment before nodding slowly.  
'Okay.' He breathed, clearly not approving of that statement but deciding not to restart that fruitless, old argument. 

Damian thought the conversation over and moved to slink away, when Jason's hand shot out and grabbed Dick's wrist when he pushed back off into the water.  
'Dickie?'  
'Yeah?'   
Sucking his bottom lip, Jason looked away, releasing his brother with a hiss.  
'I ain't staying here.'  
'Jay you-'  
'No. No this ain't up for debate. I can't stay here you know I can't. A couple of weeks to get the warehouse habitable and the heat to die down and I'm going. I can't stay here.'  
Shaking his head violently, Dick made to grab hold of Jason again but he just plunged down into the water.  
'Little Wing, please, I want you to come home .' Dick said in hushed tones, reaching out again for his brother only for him to glide away.  
'I want to, too. You know I do.'  
The words fell heavy in the silence of the pool and Damian had to press a hand against his mouth to disguise a gasp. He'd never thought his wayward brother actually wanted to come home, he always acted and said the complete opposite.  
'I can't come back. It's the past, there were good times here but' Taking a deep breath, Jason swirled patterns in the water as he sorted through muddled thoughts, trying to get his brother to understand. 'The past haunts me, I-I can't live in it too, Dickie.   
'You're not living in the past, Little Wing. We can't let it rule who we want to be either, can we?' Dick replied, splashing water playfully in Jason's face. 'I just want you to come home. I love you, you moron.'

A small smile tugged at Jason's lips and he sent a tidal wave in Dick's direction. Pleased that they were slipping back into an old pastime again.  
Dick cocked an eyebrow at him, a dark grin spreading across his face.  
'You're gonna regret that, Jay!'  
'You're gonna have to catch me first, Dickface!' Jason yelled back with a happy trill, diving a way to gain as much distance between him and his brother as possible.  
Damian tilted his head slightly to get a better view of the entire pool, watching in wonder as his brothers chased each other, hollering and giggling away like a couple of kids. A stranger would never have guessed the tumultuous relationship pair actually had.  
Jason dunked Dick's head under the water with a mean cackle, only to suddenly flail and let out a surprised squeal when his brother reached up and dragged him down with him.  
Damian honestly didn't know quite what to make of it all and he ended up just watching the entire spectacle.

The confused boy's eyes widened even further when his brothers paused in their tomfoolery, treading water in the middle of the pool.  
'I love you, Jason. I can't keep losing you. It hurts.'  
'I'll hurt you if I stay. You're letting good stuff blind you again. We hurt each other Dick. I don't want that.' Jason mumbled breathily, leaning his forehead against Dick's he closed his eyes with a heavy sigh. 'Eres todo para mí.'  
The words were almost lost when Jason kicked away again, splashing water at his brother in the hopes of getting him to come and play once more.   
Dick blinked. Taken aback by what his brother had just confessed to him before grinning like the cat who got the cream and tearing off after Jason.

Damian heard the words leave Jason's lips but before he had taken another breath he had ran.  
He ran all the way back to the main part of the manor, his brother's voice ringing in his head.  
'Eres todo para mí.'  
'You're everything to me.' Damian mumbled to himself, guilt twisting in his stomach like a dagger. He shouldn't have heard that, he should have walked away, when he saw the pair of them having a moment clearly not meant for prying eyes.  
Jason knew languages. His recent conversations in Arabic with Damian was proof enough of that but that wasn't what sent Damian running, nauseated and desperate to erase what he'd heard.  
It was the memories of why he had spoken the words he did to those kids at school.  
Spanish was Jason's first language just like Arabic was his. Damian understood why Jason had chosen to say those words in Spanish instead of English.  
It was a secret but not just a secret.  
Words that held a great meaning for him.  
Words that made him vulnerable.  
Words only Richard Grayson was meant to hear.

'Master Damian? Are you alright, Sir? You look a little vexed?'  
Inhaling sharply, Damian skidded to a halt to find that he had run into the kitchen. Alfred was sat at the table with a cup of tea, lips drawn down in concern.  
'Of course Pennyworth, I have decided that I would like desert after all.' Damian replied calmly, sitting down expectantly.  
Alfred inclined his head with a small smile and complied with the youngest Wayne's request.  
The pair sat in silence for a while.  
Damian picking at the apple pie he really had no appetite for, whilst Alfred watched him with knowing eyes.  
'Masters Richard and Jason used to spend hours in the swimming pool when Master Richard was home. On many occasion your father and I wondered if the boys had dissolved. I trust that is not the case this evening?'  
Swallowing a mouthful of pie, Damian levelled Alfred with a very bored expression before pushing the half eaten desert away.  
'My apologies Pennyworth, but you seem to have mistaken me for someone who cares about your reminiscing? How Grayson chooses to fraternise with Todd is an image I think best remains unspoken off. The mere thought has killed my appetite. I shall retire now. Good night Pennyworth.'  
'Good night Master Damian.' Alfred replied with a wry smile, before returning to his cup of tea with a shake of his head.  
'Children.'


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> School starts...

Summer break flew by for the Wayne household.  
Jason was true to his word and left the manor again. A week early, much to his elation, and to Dick's despair, who did a Stella job of waving his brother off with a bright smile.  
'Don't worry. I got him.' Roy mumbled into his ear when he hugged his old friend farewell.   
Dick wanted to hate him, he wanted to pull Jason back inside the manor and lock the doors, but he couldn't help but feel reassured by the honesty in Roy's tone. Dick smiled and returned the hug.  
'Hurt him and I will come after you.' He replied just as quietly.  
Roy grinned and sauntered down the steps. Jason didn't say goodbye. He just nodded towards Alfred and climbed into the car, honking the horn when Roy took too long. Jason never did goodbyes.

A few weeks later, Roy was back leaning against his car with a satisfied smirk, watching Damian drag his feet down the steps towards him.  
'You got everything you need?'  
Damian merely rolled his eyes and held up a rather full school bag.   
'Todd provided me with a list. He did however negate to provide me with a dress code.' He explained simply.  
Roy grinned, eyeing up the boy dressed smartly in slacks and a short sleeved shirt, reminiscent of his casual uniform at Gotham Academy.  
'You'll do. I never wore a uniform to school and I did just fine.'  
'Using yourself as an example? Really Roy?' Dick chimed in, standing on the top step, arms folded. He was the picture of disapproval.  
'Well, who'd ya think is teaching him Science,Dick? Now stop pouting, your face will stick like that if the wind changes.'  
Dick blinked in surprise, looking from Damian to Roy in horror. 'Y-you? You're teaching-'  
'Jaybird ain't the only one with a degree? I hadda do my teaching for this undercover bullshit Jay demanded we went on. He forgot that only he was able to teach. I kinda enjoyed it, so eh? Why not do it again?'

Dick shook his head in disbelief, how the living hell did the two delinquents end up being better qualified than the rest of the sidekicks put together? It made no sense whatsoever.  
'How did-'  
'Rehab? The degree kept my mind off' Sparing a look at Damian, Roy forced a smile. 'Other things.'  
'Huh. Um okay then?'  
Dick watched the car pull away, waving his little brother off with a forced smile. He had flunked college himself, vigilanteism got in the way.   
Walking back inside, he sighed wearily and flopped down in a chair in the foyer.  
'I trust Master Damian went to school okay Sir?'  
Looking up, Dick shook his head at Alfred and flew his arms out to the side dramatically.  
'Roy has a degree too! How does that even make sense? It's almost as if you end up in those damn hospitals and your whole life gets turned around!'  
Alfred didn't miss the hint of jealousy in the eldest Wayne boy's tone and he offered him a reassuring half smile.  
'I do believe that is the point of them? I believe in you Sir.'  
'What does that mean?' Dick yelled after the butler, who sauntered away with an amused smile. 

Two hours later, Alfred found the young man hanging off the chandelier with his laptop, muttering away to himself about how he wasn't being out done by Roy and Jason.

 

The warehouse wasn't anything significant, in fact, unless you knew what was inside it looked derelict. Damian had to admit that his brother was very talented at hiding in plain sight, then, it did seem to be a family trait.  
Plodding along behind Roy, who was chatting away about something, he blinked in surprise. The entrance hall was well decorated, the tile floor washed and polished, it almost looked like an actual school.  
'Right, come on, Short Stuff. Classroom is this way.'  
'Classroom?' Damian parroted, shifting the bag on his shoulder, he moved to what used to be the main room of the warehouse.  
Harper had been accurate in his description. Everything from the decor to the furniture screamed classroom. There was even a random chalkboard at the front next to a larger desk which his brother was sat at.  
'You're late. We almost started without you!'  
'We?' Frowning, Damian shook his head in confusion before noticing another boy.  
'Colin?'  
Lifting his head, the other boy smiled and offered Damian a little wave.  
'Hello.'

Damian turned to look at Jason, who just pointed at the adjacent desk and raised an eyebrow.  
'Sit. Lesson started five minutes ago, Brat.'  
'Why is Colin here?' Damian demanded, before storming over to Colin and cocking an eyebrow at him. 'Why are you here?'  
Colin shrugged and looked a little confused.  
'I am not entirely sure. Like, I think I might have been kidnapped? '  
'You think? Don't be an imbecile. Either you were or you weren't?'  
'Your friend was asked if he wished to go to school with you. He stated that he did. Don't worry Damian, he has permission to be here, well, to re-register at your school.'  
'My school? Todd, this is a desk in a warehouse? It's not a school!'  
A piece of paper was placed down on Damian's desk.  
'Not according to the DOE. Read it and weep. This is a school. I'm your teacher, and you are taking up lesson time which will be taken from your recess. So shut up and take out your books.' Jason instructed with a wry smile, and Damian admitted defeat. Sitting down, he took out his supplies and watched his brother saunter over to the blackboard. He was in his element and Damian honestly had never seen his brother look so satisfied.  
'You're taking this seriously.'  
'Education is serious. Now, lets go over the learning outcomes for this lesson.'

Jason had decided to start his syllabus with 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' It was highly unsurprising but unlike his past experiences with classwork, Damian found himself actually engaging with what was being taught. When his brother asked a question and he answered correctly, the answer was then built upon, challenging him more, getting him to critique his own comprehension of the text.   
'So, is Mr Hood really your brother?' Colin asked as he packed up his things. Nodding, Damian shoved his books into his bag and watched Jason flirting casually with Roy with a tired expression.  
'Indeed, I thought I had already told you that?'  
Nodding, Colin shrugged and slung his bag over his shoulder.  
'Yeah but, he's not what I imagined? He's pretty smart and like I dunno, not bonkers?'  
'That's because he is having a good day.' Damian ground out, watching as Colin sauntered out of the classroom.  
'Where are you going?'  
'There's a yard out back. Mr Hood showed it me. Wanna go check it out?'  
'It shall be nothing more than concrete?' Damian grumbled, not really understanding why they had to go outside.

The yard was more than just concrete.   
There was a set of swings and a climbing frame. Colin had wanted to go play on them, so Damian just waved his friend off and went to sit on one of the benches that were dotted around. He frowned at all the strange markings painted on the ground, wondering what they were for.  
He never had enjoyed recess.  
He never really had friends and quite honestly, he still struggled to understand what he was meant to do.  
'Come on Sport. Wanna have a kick about?' Roy yelled from by the doors, wandering over to him with a stupid grin and a ball under his arm that wasn't the football or the baseball Damian had come to recognise.  
'To what end?' Damian genuinely asked, the timetable didn't include gym, he'd assumed Todd thought his vigilante work was enough physical activity.  
'Fun.' Roy replied simply before grinning over at Colin, who was hanging upside down off the climbing frame. 'You in?'  
'Hell yeah!' Colin cried excitably, throughly amused to have a game of soccer with Arsenal. 'This school's awesome!'

Damian watched the pair kick the ball around. Observing how his friend smiled and laughed, he did seem to be having fun. The ball rolled over and bounced against his shoe.  
'Sorry Dames.' Colin called over, smiling happily. 'Just kick it back over.'  
Damian stared at the ball for a moment, before standing up slowly and kicking the ball in his friend's direction.   
'Very well. I shall participate.'  
Recess ended all too swiftly after that.   
Hot and breathless, Damian had to admit he had had fun. He didn't know the rules of the soccer game but Roy and Colin hadn't minded. They just laughed when Damian scored an own goal and gave him the point anyway. 

Walking back into the classroom, Damian scowled when Colin stopped suddenly, almost causing him to almost trip over.  
'Oh my God!'  
'What!' Damian grumbled, side stepping his friend to make his way to his own desk, he didn't want to cut his lunch break short by being tardy.  
'It's the Riddler!' Colin gasped, quick to follow and take a seat at his own desk, eyes glued to the front of the class.  
'You really were not kidding about hiring fellow crazies were you?' Damian groused, frowning at Edward, who just grinned and waved at him excitably.  
'My, my, you're right Boots. This one's going to be a handful!'  
'How are you even allowed here? How is any of this allowed!' Damian yelled, throwing his arms out in exasperation. 'And why is he calling you Boots?'

Jason glared at Edward, who just seemed amused more than anything, before folding his arms and sitting down on his desk in a huff.  
'Never you mind. Mr Nigma is your maths teacher, Damian, put up and shut up.'   
'But why is he calling you Boots?' Damian pressed as if his brother was stupid, looking from one ex-inmate to the other with interest.  
'Trust me kid, don't go there!' Roy tried to butt in, but Edward just giggled and clapped his hands together.  
'We all call Mr Hood, Boots. Arkham took his boots when he was admitted. Jesus wept, the boy can yell when he wants. For two weeks, all he yelled about was Batman and those stupid boots!'  
Edward explained with a smirk, before striding over to the board and beginning to write down equations.  
'Boots!' Damian snickered and Jason scowled at him.  
'Boots are important. Those were my best damn pair of boots, my only pair of boots and they took them. Because they had laces, laces! I never got 'em back and no one will help me get 'em back.' Jason stropped, throwing his arms out dramatically before being herded back out of the classroom by a totally done Roy.  
'We got you a new pair of boots. You're wearing them!' Scowling over his shoulder, Roy shook his head at a sniggering Edward. 'Now look what you've done!'  
The two boys watched a ranting and raving Jason being forcefully removed from the room in amusement. Grinning from ear to ear, Colin nudged Damian in the side and winked.  
'Mr Boots!'  
Eyes widening, Damian's returning grin was that of pure malice.  
This school was going to be fun after all.

The following Friday night, Robin was crouched on a rooftop with Nightwing. Clark had called by and informed them that the mission had gone wrong. Bruce was missing and presumed dead. This news was the sort that would traumatise young people who had already lost so much. Bruce 'dying' was just a normal week for the Waynes. When Dick had called Cass to inform her, he was swiftly told off for waking her up with something so unimportant. Bruce would be back, death didn't agree with him.  
Damian kicked his boots against the brick work of the derelict building they were sat on and glowered down at the street below.  
'How's school going, Robin?'  
'Fine.' Damian sighed, Dick still hadn't come around to the idea yet. 'Why are we here?'  
Dick's lips formed a tight line and he pointed down at a group of kids by a dumpster.  
'The drug that's killing folks? I can't pick up any leads. Our best bet is overhearing the street kids talking.'  
Nodding, Damian sat back and prepared himself for a long wait.

They watched the kids fooling around and engaging in antisocial behaviour, but nothing of any value came from it. Even Dick was starting to look bored and had long since started fidgeting and playing with bits of his costume.  
'We might have to get Hood down here to talk to 'em, Robin.'  
Growling in frustration, Damian fired a grappling hook.  
'Robin, where are you going?' Dick asked suspiciously, watching as the boy swung down to the street.  
'To do what Hood would do.'  
Eyes widening, Dick went to make after him, before spotting a boy a little older than Damian himself lounging against a brick wall and he smiled, it seemed Jason was making quite an impression.

Moving to stand next to the teenager, Damian gave him a brisk nod before looking away again, being careful to use the exact same mannerisms that Todd used.  
'Good evening'   
The boy frowned and looked him up and down like he was a freak.  
'Little early Halloween rich boy. Run along before you get yourself hurt.'  
Snorting, Damian shook his head and pushed off the wall.  
'My name is Robin.'  
'Robin?' Frowning, the boy suddenly gasped in horror. 'As in Batman and Robin? Holy crap on a cracker!'  
'I'm after some information.'  
The boys eye's darkened and he too pushed off the wall, to walk away.  
'Fuck off and go bother someone else pretty bird.'  
Pulling a face, Damian shook his head. Seriously? He had done this conversation a hundred times over, at least this time he didn't have a gun aimed at his head.  
'What if I told you that the Red Hood is back in town?'  
Damian watched the boy's eyes widen slightly at the name before flicking a look over his shoulder and tearing down a near by alley. He knew that look, again his older brother had pulled the same stunt hundreds of times. It was a silent invitation 'follow me'.

Damian did just that, following the teenager until a hand caught hold of his cape and threw him behind another dumpster.  
'What does he want to know?'  
Scowling, Damian straightened his costume and tried hard not to wrinkle his nose at the foul stench.  
'Come on pretty bird, I ain't got all night!'   
'There's a movement of drugs in the city.'  
The teenager snorted and threw him a 'no kidding' look.  
'These are different. They are killing people. Do you know who is moving them.'  
'Yeah. If you think about it hard enough, so do you, pretty bird.'  
Frowning, Damian looked at the scrawny boy in a tatty old hoody and smirked.  
'Kids?'  
The boy smiled and kicked a stone in his direction.  
'Cheap, easy and no one gives a shit about us.'  
'Do you know where I can find the dealer?'  
The boy shook his head and shrugged.  
'Nope. He just shows up, gives us the gear and we deliver it. Didn't know it was offing folks though. That's some nasty shit.' Pausing, the boy worried his lip and glanced up at Robin. 'Hood knows where we meet up. Tell him to go there. He'll catch his guy at around midnight.'  
Smiling, Damian nodded and delved his hand into his utility belt to produce a pack of cigarettes he had swiped off Arsenal. He knew they'd be useful for something.  
'Thanks.'

The boy grinned and swiped Damian's offer out of his hands, as if making sure the vigilante didn't change his mind.  
'Whatever.' He replied, already bending over to light up. 'Fuck me I needed that.'  
Closing his eyes, the teenager leaned against the wall and smiled in pure bliss.  
'You're alright Robin. Remind me of my little sister a bit.'  
Damian just smiled and nodded, watching the kid smoke with interest. He knew better than to press for more information on his family.   
'Miscreant?'   
'Pretty Bird?' The boy replied, blowing a mouthful of smoke in his direction.  
Damian wrinkled his nose and wafted it away before continuing, adamant that this was the right thing to do.   
'I do not know if education is of interest to you, but the Red Hood has started teaching?'

Monday morning was going well, Damian and Colin were sat working at their desks. Jason wasn't as chirpy as he was last week and spent most of the morning reading a book and scowling at anyone who so much as breathed.  
The door opened and a rather confused Roy traipsed through, followed by two nervous looking kids. Damian recognised the older boy as the kid from the streets, and behind him, a girl about his own age.  
'Um, Mr Boots?' Roy called out and Jason snapped his head up, frowning at the kids. 'These two showed up asking for lessons? I told them they'd have to ask you.'  
Nodding, Jason cocked his head, a small smile tugged at his lips and he motioned the children forwards.  
'Ron! Haven't see you in a while?' Looking at the boy's bruised knuckles, he glanced at the bruises around the girl's neck that looked a lot like adult fingerprints. 'How's the uncle situation going?'  
Clearing his throat, Ron shook his head slightly and tugged his sister closer to his side.  
'I just wanna get my sister into school and that? She's well smart and will behave, I swear it!'  
'How old is Lilly now? What grade?' Jason asked, smiling at the girl who gasped and shrunk back behind her brother.  
'Twelve, Sir. I dunno Sir. Our uncle don't like us going t'school. Too many questions.'

'Hmm, and what about you Ron? How old are you now? Fifteen? Guess you dunno what grade you are either?'  
'M-me Sir?' Ron blinked in surprise at Jason's expectant look and shook his head. 'Yes? That's right Sir.'  
Jason frowned for a moment before grabbing some paper from his draw and scribbling away frantically, flicking looks up at the kids as he did so.  
'Here ya go. Lily that's yours. Ron, you takes this one. Don't worry, it ain't a test as such. I just need some sorta clue what grade I should be aiming for, for you.'

The two kids looked at each other before racing away to find somewhere to sit and fill in their worksheets. Jason watched them work for a moment before settling his gaze on Damian, who was suddenly finding English Grammar fascinating.  
'Damian. A word?'  
Damian looked up before nodding and sheepishly moving to stand in front of his brother. Jason observed him closely, two fingers pressed against his lips.  
'Care to tell me how Ron found out about this?'  
Swallowing, Damian shrugged and looked over at the siblings working away.  
'It felt wrong. I was on patrol and, it just felt wrong. There are children less fortunate than I, and without an education, what chance have they got?'  
Something almost like fondness seeped into the sadness that had hovered in Jason's eyes all day and he smiled.  
'How many exam papers do I need, Damian?'  
A playful smirk tugged at the boy's lips and Damian shrugged.  
'Well, that depends entirely on how many children heed Robin's words.'  
Sighing, Jason shook his head with a chuckle.

This was going to snowball out of control he just knew it.  
Then again, teaching a bunch of kids with a whole spectrum of behavioural, social and mental health issues that most state schools couldn't cope with? Jason honestly couldn't think of a better way to be spending his daylight hours.


End file.
